From the President

AGM OVERVIEW

DAVID BASHEER

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Ku8f-M2Ln_M

The following is an edited version of the speech that AHA|SA President, David Basheer, gave at the Annual General Meeting on 1 May.

OVERVIEW

It is my honour to present the President’s report for 2022.

Following two years of COVID-19 uncertainty, 2022 saw us return to relatively calmer times.

Throughout last year, the key issues affecting our membership centred around:

• the escalation of the labour shortage,

• licensing changes,

• interest rate rises - a concern as debt in our sector grew by 15% through COVID-19

• rising power, insurance and wage costs

• inflationary pressures

• and a concerning Federal Government IR agenda.

POLITICAL LOBBYING

Much of the political engagement around the labour shortage resided in the Federal sphere. The AHA was one of the few industry bodies represented at September’s Jobs and Skills summit in Canberra. We are largely supportive of the migration reforms announced by the Federal Government last week. Locally, we had, and continue to have, lengthy discussions with key political figures around training, VET courses, housing and migration - all critical issues to unlock our workforce shortages.

We secured significant gains around the loosening up of the migration criteria and the accessibility of VET courses. We feel we are close to a further breakthrough with a Government-brokered copartnership to fully capitalise on the return of overseas students. There remains much to do to ensure:

• Firstly, our members have a reliable and steady stream of workers.

• Secondly, these workers are trained and competent. It is these employees that will become our future managers and leaders.

COVID - 19

Our members were still enduring heavy COVID-19 restrictions in the first quarter of last year. Indeed, the State of Emergency was only lifted 49 weeks ago. Leading up to the March 2022 election and beyond, the AHA|SA was relentless in its drive to see the approach and management of COVID-19 changed. It was comforting that in the very earliest days of the Malinauskas Government, our ambitions were fully realised. I am proud that our persistent pursuit of COVID-19 changes - and indeed providing to Government an alternative model - was the AHA’s most important achievement on behalf of our members last year.

It is our obligation to constantly remind all politicians, advisors and regulators that despite COVID-19 disappearing off the front page and life largely returning to normal, our industry desperately requires a period of consolidation, given the financial and mental health toll created by the pandemic. I remain unconvinced this is fully appreciated.

LICENSING

The AHA|SA office devoted significant resources last year to licensing issues, particularly the interpretation of new clauses in the licensing Act, many of which have been subject to appeals at higher courts. A Government-initiated review of the late night code was also responded to, and restrictions on the sale of liquor in Coober Pedy, Whyalla, Ceduna and Port Augusta required much needed intervention.

It is our obligation to constantly remind all politicians, advisors and regulators that despite COVID-19 disappearing off the front page..., our industry desperately requires a period of consolidation...

GAMING

Gaming inevitably remains a major agenda item. The AHA participated in the review of the trading round and we are hopeful the Government will shortly have a positive announcement in this regard. We were also involved in responses to many Government requests around harm minimisation.

Multiple states are seeking to toughen their gaming laws. A new State Government in SA in 2022 - with new Ministers and staffers - needed to be educated to ensure our law makers were well aware of the long-standing harm minimisation measures in our State that are already nation leading.

We do not need to be caught in the crossfire of what could occur interstate.

Today (May 1), there is a major conference being held in Adelaide that will focus on tackling gambling harm across the country.

The conference is being jointly held by the Alliance for Gambling Reform and the Public Health Association of Australia.

The biggest complaint conference organisers have is that their event is not being funded by Government! The gaming storm clouds never disappear.

TOURISM

South Australia’s pre-COVID, $8.4billion annual visitor economy has recovered strongly, with figures now topping pre-pandemic levels.

The recent events have been extremely heartening, but the tourism budgets of other States, especially Western Australia, makes further growth that much more difficult. This at a time when available room numbers in Adelaide alone has climbed above 10,000.

The AHA|SA is very well represented on a number of key tourism bodies, not least the South Australian Tourist Commission whose Chair is Andrew Bullock and Ian Horne is a senior board member. This ensures the views of our membership are always well heard and expressed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The AHA|SA formally acknowledges the passing last July of the State’s foremost figure in tourism - Bill Spurr. A former AHA|SA CEO, Bill’s wisdom is greatly missed by so many.

To the AHA|SA Executive and State Council, thank you for your support and assistance.

Particular thanks to our office bearers - Senior Vice President Matthew Binns, Vice President Andrew Bullock and Secretary/ Treasurer Sam McInnes for your unwavering efforts to assist our membership.

Andrew Bullock recently advised of his need to step down as Vice President due to his expanding business interests, along with his role both locally and nationally with the AHA’s accommodation arm, Tourism Accommodation Australia. He will remain on our State Council and maintain his role as our national representative with Tourism Accommodation Australia.

I very much thank Andrew for his contribution as Vice President, and look forward to him continuing his important work on behalf of our accommodation members.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Malcolm Hill, who is currently experiencing poor health. A long time General Manager of the Berri Hotel and legend of both the Riverland and the football world, Malcolm was awarded life membership of the AHA after serving on our State Council for 17 years.

We send our best wishes to Malcolm, Ann and family.

IAN HORNE

The AHA|SA membership is truly blessed to have a fantastic team of dedicated professionals looking after their interests.

That team is led by Ian Horne. Our members owe Ian a great debt of gratitude for the manner he has advocated on their behalf.

For many years, he has been the only face many have known as CEO of the AHA|SA. Today is the 34th and final AGM that Ian will attend in an official capacity.

Typical of Ian’s care for the organisation, he has kept both myself and our Executive Council fully briefed of his plans, assuring a smooth handover to our next CEO.

He has shaped our industry like few others. His impact has been pronounced in tourism, training, licensing, gaming and industrial relations.

Ian’s list of achievements is long:

To handpick but a few, if it was not for Ian:

• Our members would have had their local supermarket as a competitor to their bottle shops.

• Our accommodation members may well have been saddled with a nasty bed tax.

• We would not have enjoyed the benefit of gaming, or more recently the critical technology changes that rejuvenated a flagging industry.

• The nation’s best-practice, industry-led harm minimisation response that has saved us from even more draconian gaming legislation.

• Nick Xenophon may well have been SA Premier in 2018! These achievements barely scratch the surface of the accomplishments Ian has achieved for our membership. Having had the privilege of observing his remarkable capacity to navigate the often complex political process, I can confidently state there is no one better.

He works his way around the corridors of power with consummate ease. He develops and maintains relationships on all sides of politics, with a rare capacity to instantly sum up a political issue and how it might affect members. During the two dark years of COVID-19, with no playbook to call upon, Ian’s political acumen was on full display.

At that troubled time, Ian’s greatest asset, his ability to assemble an outstanding team around him, rose to the fore. We are very fortunate he has laid the most solid of foundations for our Association to continue to flourish.

NEW CEO

As one door closes, another opens and we welcome Anna Moeller as our CEO elect.

We received 84 quality applicants for Ian’s role during a 10-week process. Applicants not just from South Australia, but also interstate and overseas. It was the view of the Executive, supported by our external recruiter, that the best person for the job was sitting in the office right next to Ian.

Anna is a qualified lawyer with an impressive track record in senior management roles, at Bendigo Bank, Motor Trade Association and in the local government sector before joining the AHA|SA.

She provides our membership with significant knowledge across liquor, gaming, and harm minimisation, as well as industrial and Government relations. Anna joined the Association only a few months prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and steered our Association’s response with the SA Police, Health and Government.

As a result, Anna has quickly developed a rapport with many of our members and has subsequently grown relationships and confidence over recent times.

One thing that is obvious is Anna’s absolute passion for the industry and those who participate in it. She will soon have the opportunity to stamp her mark across all aspects of AHA life and we look forward to her growing the outstanding legacy Ian Horne leaves behind.

THANK YOU

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for all your support over the past 12 months. 2022 has delivered more positivity, and be assured the AHA|SA will always continue to advocate for - and represent and defend - our membership to strengthen their businesses.