HSA July 2023
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MIGRATION,<br />
SMOKING,<br />
THE VOICE &<br />
ACCOMMODATION<br />
From the President<br />
DAVID BASHEER<br />
WHY HAS AUSTRALIA STOPPED BEING A<br />
MIGRATION-FRIENDLY COUNTRY?<br />
The AHA has been broadly supportive of the Federal<br />
Government’s migration review.<br />
This review, along with previous changes, has assisted<br />
us to fill important gaps in our labour market.<br />
Pre-pandemic migration levels were at 235,000 people<br />
per year. In the financial year just gone, this figure has<br />
risen to 400000 and in <strong>2023</strong>-24, it is expected to be<br />
315,000.<br />
Impressive numbers, but merely a catch up from the<br />
two COVID-19 years. And there are a number of issues<br />
that members should be concerned about.<br />
We are threatening to sabotage so much of the<br />
previously mentioned gains by reducing the visas<br />
of working holidaymakers from up to three years<br />
back to one.<br />
Adding to this is that the cost of such visas has now<br />
risen in the past month from $510 to $640.<br />
It is well known in overseas migration circles that<br />
Australia is a difficult country to do business with.<br />
The equivalent visa in countries like Britain, Canada,<br />
New Zealand and Germany costs between $120<br />
and $382 ,with more favourable terms on the visa.<br />
In a most unhelpful development for our regional<br />
members, the requirement to work away from the<br />
big cities for 88 days is planned to be on the<br />
chopping board.<br />
Our labour shortage has not been solved. These plans<br />
will exacerbate an already difficult situation and we<br />
urge the Federal Government to urgently consider<br />
the potential ramifications on an industry crying out<br />
for overseas reinforcements into our industry… for<br />
positions we can not fill with locals.<br />
“...there are a number of<br />
issues that members<br />
should be concerned about.”<br />
NEW SMOKING THREAT<br />
IS ILL-CONCEIVED<br />
The task of keeping up with the bureaucracy and their<br />
constant desire to bring in unnecessary reforms can<br />
be exhausting. More so when you operate in a highly<br />
regulated industry like ours.<br />
The South Australian Government is strengthening<br />
tobacco and e-cigarette legislation designed to further<br />
reduce the risk of smoking, secondhand smoke and<br />
e-cigarettes.<br />
Hidden in a report which contains seemingly sensible<br />
measures pertaining to childcare centres, public<br />
hospitals and even beaches is a move to totally ban<br />
tobacco vending machines.<br />
The days of vending machines enjoying high level sales<br />
in licensed venues are largely gone, but this move is<br />
astonishing.<br />
For many years, tokens have been required to access<br />
these machines, thereby preventing under-age access.<br />
There is no evidence of a problem. None at all.<br />
How can targeting these machines in isolation help<br />
smoking rates? Indeed, the AHA has seen no evidence<br />
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