From the President

DAVID BASHEER – AHA|SA PRESIDENT

Moving Forward, Not Backwards

The AHA|SA has launched an extensive campaign urging all South Australians to continue to scan into venues.

Looking at what unfolded in Victoria simply reinforces our continual vulnerability.

QR scanning is critical to allow contract tracers to quickly track any outbreak, keep South Australians healthy and, in turn, it helps keep our businesses open and our jobs in place.

It has been 12 months since our tentative reopening. Can you remember when we celebrated being allowed 10 people in our pubs?!

We still ride the roller-coaster, as the following facts starkly illustrate:

1. We were told in late April last year that downloading the COVID-SAfe app was our ticket to normality.

2. Then it was adhering to the various restrictions. Some of those restrictions we understood, others made little sense. Many seemed too onerous. Yet we did what we had to for the good of all South Australians.

3. In August we had COVID-safe marshals imposed upon our business. We were assured that was our ticket to freedom.

4. Before the November lockdown, that changed, and it became QR codes.

5. Now we have learnt our return to normal trading will be governed by how many people get vaccinated.

SAPOL has been consistent in its view it is QR codes that are the most important weapon to allow business to return to normal. We will continue to back SAPOL’s initiative. It is a simple obligation that has very real benefits.

Please encourage your staff and patrons to stay vigilant on this.

Additionally, in March and again late last month the national AHA wrote to the Prime Minister and national cabinet seeking a targeted, coordinated assistance for businesses and employees forced to close due to any snap lockdowns, such as we saw in SA in November.

We cannot be caught in a stand-off between a State and Federal Government, as has occurred most recently in Victoria.

A more liberal definition of a hot spot needs to be agreed upon. Clearly, the best result is for whole cities and states not to be locked down in the first place. Keeping the doors open is the best support for businesses such as ours.

SKILLS SHORTAGE

The skills shortage is fast becoming a major handbrake on our businesses and the problem is escalating.

It was a problem pre-COVID, but when we were forced to shut down, employees moved into other sectors that weren’t shut down and many have not returned. Our people have disappeared.

The issue right now is getting both quantity and quality of staff. As the feature on page 14 reports, we are suffering because of the lack of overseas students and backpackers. We have also seen a change in our pool of staff that are undertaking tertiary staff. They can now watch lectures online at a time of their choosing, which means the necessity to ‘study during the day/work at a pub during the night’ is no longer required.

The feature gives some fresh ideas on how to attract the staff you need.

In addition, I would urge you to speak with your local member at every opportunity so that they understand the severity of the problem and the need for government action.

GAMING MACHINES: TIME TO CHANGE

Way back in 2005 the then Rann Government compulsory lowered the number of gaming machines from pubs as a harm minimisation measure. Clubs were exempt.

History proved it was a measure that wasn’t grounded in solid facts; it was just an action that would gain an easy headline.

That was the birth of the trading round system that allows venues to buy and sell gaming entitlements.

By any measure, it has been a total flop.

It is time to remove the bureaucracy and let private enterprise take over. We can already buy a hotel - complete with the liquor license and gaming entitlements - privately.

The time is overdue to allow venues that hold a gaming licence to trade entitlements between each other, with the role of the bureaucracy restricted to approving the process just as it does with other license transfers. This would suit business and trigger activity to allow the remodel of the remaining (approx) 700 gaming machines and put a stop to that flawed policy of removing 3000 machines from the hotel sector.