HSA July 2023
MIGRATION, SMOKING, THE VOICE & ACCOMMODATION From the President DAVID BASHEER WHY HAS AUSTRALIA STOPPED BEING A MIGRATION-FRIENDLY COUNTRY? The AHA has been broadly supportive of the Federal Government’s migration review. This review, along with previous changes, has assisted us to fill important gaps in our labour market. Pre-pandemic migration levels were at 235,000 people per year. In the financial year just gone, this figure has risen to 400000 and in 2023-24, it is expected to be 315,000. Impressive numbers, but merely a catch up from the two COVID-19 years. And there are a number of issues that members should be concerned about. We are threatening to sabotage so much of the previously mentioned gains by reducing the visas of working holidaymakers from up to three years back to one. Adding to this is that the cost of such visas has now risen in the past month from $510 to $640. It is well known in overseas migration circles that Australia is a difficult country to do business with. The equivalent visa in countries like Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Germany costs between $120 and $382 ,with more favourable terms on the visa. In a most unhelpful development for our regional members, the requirement to work away from the big cities for 88 days is planned to be on the chopping board. Our labour shortage has not been solved. These plans will exacerbate an already difficult situation and we urge the Federal Government to urgently consider the potential ramifications on an industry crying out for overseas reinforcements into our industry… for positions we can not fill with locals. “...there are a number of issues that members should be concerned about.” NEW SMOKING THREAT IS ILL-CONCEIVED The task of keeping up with the bureaucracy and their constant desire to bring in unnecessary reforms can be exhausting. More so when you operate in a highly regulated industry like ours. The South Australian Government is strengthening tobacco and e-cigarette legislation designed to further reduce the risk of smoking, secondhand smoke and e-cigarettes. Hidden in a report which contains seemingly sensible measures pertaining to childcare centres, public hospitals and even beaches is a move to totally ban tobacco vending machines. The days of vending machines enjoying high level sales in licensed venues are largely gone, but this move is astonishing. For many years, tokens have been required to access these machines, thereby preventing under-age access. There is no evidence of a problem. None at all. How can targeting these machines in isolation help smoking rates? Indeed, the AHA has seen no evidence 4 | Hotel SA | www.ahasa.asn.au Back to Contents
F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T Watch Video to support the merit of this proposal. It is yet another bureaucratic thought bubble to add to the ever-growing list of obligations disguised as meaningful reform. This is more bureaucratic overreach by officials who can surely find much more productive use of their time than constantly targeting small and family business operators. “The days of vending machines enjoying high level sales in licensed venues are largely gone, but this move is astonishing.” AHA|SA POSITION ON REFERENDUM I have had few members querying if the AHA would be joining other businesses, community groups and sporting organisations in taking a formal and public stance on the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum. Put simply, we will not. The AHA|SA will never hesitate taking a forward stance on issues that directly affect our industry and, more importantly, the fortunes of our members. Right now that includes the skills shortage, cost of living pressures, beer excise, soaring insurance and power costs, and the granting of liquor licenses. We respect the diverse range of our membership and therefore would never be presumptuous enough to speak on their behalf on social issues that are not our core business. BENEFIT FOR ACCOMMODATION MEMBERS This month has seen the long-planned amalgamation of our accommodation arm, Tourism Accommodation Australia, with the Accommodation Association of Australia. This amalgamation will mean we can provide even more improved services and benefits for our members with accommodation, and finally there will only be one clear voice to Government on key issues affecting our accommodation members. For our members, there has been a lot of duplication and that’s really wasted productivity. We have had a number of members who have had memberships in both camps so there will be savings for them. We will have greater strength in advocacy and there will be more membership engagement for all the members. Our Accommodation Manager, Katherine Taylor, has been busy welcoming our newest members joining us from the Accommodation Association and along with the rest of the AHA|SA team, will continue to support this incredibly important part of our membership. David Basheer, AHA|SA President Back to Contents www.ahasa.asn.au | Hotel SA | 5
- Page 1 and 2: THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AUS
- Page 3: Shortcut to Stories JULY 2023 Click
- Page 7 and 8: F R O M T H E C E O Watch Video T
- Page 9 and 10: P U B S W I T H H E A R T Having an
- Page 11 and 12: Studio Nine Architects Celebrates 2
- Page 13 and 14: O N E F O R T H E R O A D W I T H V
- Page 15 and 16: R E G I O N A L M E E T I N G S Bac
- Page 17 and 18: P U B L I C A N P R O F I L E Allen
- Page 19 and 20: P U B L I C A N P R O F I L E Winne
- Page 21 and 22: Alfresco Spaces have expanded to SA
- Page 23 and 24: M E M B E R A D V I C E safety cons
- Page 25 and 26: I N D U S T R Y N E W S SA Pub Burg
- Page 27 and 28: W O R K P L A C E R E L A T I O N S
- Page 29 and 30: M E M B E R A D V I C E “The Esse
- Page 31 and 32: R A V O ’ S B U S H T E L E G R A
- Page 33 and 34: I N D U S T R Y N E W S Sneak Peek
- Page 35 and 36: CORPORATE PARTNERS 2023/24 D I A M
F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T<br />
Watch Video <br />
to support the merit of this proposal. It is yet another<br />
bureaucratic thought bubble to add to the ever-growing<br />
list of obligations disguised as meaningful reform.<br />
This is more bureaucratic overreach by officials who<br />
can surely find much more productive use of their time<br />
than constantly targeting small and family business<br />
operators.<br />
“The days of vending<br />
machines enjoying high<br />
level sales in licensed<br />
venues are largely<br />
gone, but this move<br />
is astonishing.”<br />
AHA|SA POSITION ON REFERENDUM<br />
I have had few members querying if the AHA would<br />
be joining other businesses, community groups<br />
and sporting organisations in taking a formal and<br />
public stance on the upcoming Voice to Parliament<br />
referendum.<br />
Put simply, we will not.<br />
The AHA|SA will never hesitate taking a forward<br />
stance on issues that directly affect our industry and,<br />
more importantly, the fortunes of our members. Right<br />
now that includes the skills shortage, cost of living<br />
pressures, beer excise, soaring insurance and power<br />
costs, and the granting of liquor licenses.<br />
We respect the diverse range of our membership and<br />
therefore would never be presumptuous enough to<br />
speak on their behalf on social issues that are not our<br />
core business.<br />
BENEFIT FOR ACCOMMODATION MEMBERS<br />
This month has seen the long-planned amalgamation<br />
of our accommodation arm, Tourism Accommodation<br />
Australia, with the Accommodation Association of<br />
Australia.<br />
This amalgamation will mean we can provide even<br />
more improved services and benefits for our members<br />
with accommodation, and finally there will only be one<br />
clear voice to Government on key issues affecting our<br />
accommodation members.<br />
For our members, there has been a lot of duplication<br />
and that’s really wasted productivity.<br />
We have had a number of members who have had<br />
memberships in both camps so there will be savings<br />
for them. We will have greater strength in advocacy and<br />
there will be more membership engagement for all the<br />
members.<br />
Our Accommodation Manager, Katherine Taylor, has<br />
been busy welcoming our newest members joining us<br />
from the Accommodation Association and along with<br />
the rest of the AHA|SA team, will continue to support<br />
this incredibly important part of our membership.<br />
David Basheer,<br />
AHA|SA President<br />
Back to Contents www.ahasa.asn.au | Hotel SA | 5
Change language