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Response To Coalition Immigration Stance
from Hotel SA June 2024
by Boylen
From the President
The Federal Coalition’s budget reply speech had a disturbing policy contained within it.
The proposal to slash net migration to 160,000 would have an immediate negative impact on our ability to bring in much-needed skills to cover our labour shortages.
The AHA has lobbied the Federal Opposition to reconsider its pledge, which includes cutting overseas arrivals by 25%.
Meetings have taken place with their leader Peter Dutton and the Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan. The first took place inside 12 hours of the Leader’s announcement.
We have requested clarification regarding the specific visa category targeted by the proposed measures. This move comes amid concerns regarding the Opposition Leader’s pledge to prioritise skilled visas within the construction sector, potentially affecting the position of hospitality workers in the queue.
We pointed out that our industry is currently facing a prolonged shortage of chefs for kitchen staffing. Employers are actively engaged in recruiting trained cooks from various countries, with a notable sponsorship of 2841
From those meetings, it was agreed any migration skills list needs to have a clear focus on where the real shortages are, and that the Coalition would work with the AHA and Accommodation Australia in the finalisation of its migration and workforce policies.
The hospitality sector has 12,000 chef and cook positions vacant right now. We are also in desperate need of restaurant and hotel managers, where migration has played an important role in assisting employers’ needs.
There are also concerns around the current Federal Government’s policy to relegate chefs, cooks, restaurant and hotel managers from the Tier One migration priority list, making it even harder for our members to fill those positions.
The AHA has articulated a clear view to the Federal Government that those roles need to remain on the skilled occupation list, both permanent and temporary.
State Budget
The recent State Government budget was largely well received by the AHA.
Coming off the excitement of our events season, where national data revealed South Australia as the country’s number one tourist destination for April, we again head into tourism’s Achilles heel - winter visitation numbers.
The AHA presented a detailed submission to Government to provide more funding to reverse our ‘Valley of Death’.
The Treasurer has listened and allocated $14m over four years to expand the business events fund to focus on conferences and events during winter.
It is money perfectly targeted.
Data from Business Events
Adelaide reveals that a conference delegate will spend $650 a day, compared to $200 per day from the leisure tourist.
Beyond a conference, delegates extend their stay to explore the regions and become advocates for the State - returning with their families.
We also welcome the announcement of $20.8 million provided to increase marketing of our state both interstate and overseas.
Beyond tourism, there is energy relief for small business. The Economic Recovery Fund will provide small business energy grants of $20 million in 2024-25 for Round 2 of the Economic Recovery Fund.
This will support up to 8,000 eligible small businesses and not-forprofit organisations with grants between $2,500 - $50,000 to invest in energy efficient equipment or other improvements to reduce and manage their energy usage and costs.
Members should keep an eye out via the Office for Small and Family Business website, with applications expected to open in August this year.
Importantly, again there are no new taxes, while tax increases have been restricted to CPI.
Our only disappointment was a lack of funding targeting the chronic labour and skills shortages in our sector. We continue to remind Government not every young kid wants to work on nuclear subs or other new world industries.
New SATC Chair
It has been announced David Koch will become the new Chair of SATC in July.
David brings a wealth of business and strategic experience to this critical role.
A man familiar with success, no doubt David will build on the impressive work done by SATC in recent times.
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution made by the outgoing Chair Andrew Bullock.
Andrew became Chair in 2019, unaware that tourism would be on the brink of its greatest challenge in a lifetime. Andrew steered SATC though those seemingly impossible Covid years and the recent announcement of record occupancy levels in South Australia is a testament to Andrew’s drive and direction.
Andrew will not be lost to the industry, as he remains Chair of the South Australian division of Accommodation Australia.
Vale Malcolm Hill
It was with sadness we were advised of the death of AHA|SA Life member Malcolm Hill.
Malcolm was the long time manager of the Berri Hotel and served on the AHA|SA State Council for 17 years.
Malcolm was a revered figure in the Riverland in both the business and sporting community. His life was remembered at a moving service at the Berri Football Club.
Immediate AHA|SA Past President Peter Hurley was one of several speakers who superbly eulogised Malcolm’s wonderful life.
In honour of Malcom’s remarkable commitment and influence at the Berri Hotel, it was announced at the funeral the Sports Bar would be renamed the Malcolm Hill SportsBar.
The AHA|SA’s deepest sympathies are expressed to his loving wife of 62 years Ann and children Peter, Amanda and Julia.
