To get a beer at an outback pub in Queensland once COVID-19 rules ease, drinkers will have to show proof of residence.
The outback received special consideration in the first stage of the state's plan to relax its COVID-19 restrictions, to take effect this weekend.
It stated clubs, RSLs, and hotels could open for a maximum of 20 people, who must show proof they live within 500 kilometres.
For places like Mount Isa in Queensland's north west with a large transient population, it will exacerbate the age-old bugbear of outdated licences for people who have recently moved to the region.
Census and licence data showed Mount Isa's population was around 20,000, however, local MP Robbie Katter believed the actual population was much higher.
"Census data is a real challenge, and I just think it's hopeless. We just know it's false and not accurate," he said.
"We have a lot of people move to town, particularly from the [Northern] Territory that you'll see are just not registered.
"We're transient, we're mining, we're really diverse this community, so it's hard to capture everyone.
"It has real implications on Government funding."
Rule could improve data collection
Mr Katter said the rule requiring patrons to show proof of residence might force locals to update their addresses, which could provide a more accurate snapshot of the region.
"There are people in town like Father Mick [Lowcock] who are highly motivated to rectify that problem," he said.
Father Lowcock, the parish priest of Mount Isa, said he had long been talking about the population accuracy issues in the north west.
He said the real benefit of updating an address would not be a beer at the pub, but a possible increase in population reflected in next year's census data.
"Census numbers indicate what service numbers are allocated to a place," he said.
"To me, it's really about making sure Mount Isa gets its fair share of resources whether it's health, education, whatever.
"I hope it does highlight to the people who need the services in Mount Isa … [that] if people need proof of identity to show that they live here, it's really an opportunity now to get people organised."
