2014 Hall of Fame

AHA & TAA NATIONAL

AHA HALL OF FAMERS PETER BURNETT AM

OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE LORD OF THE ISLES TAVERN IN GEELONG, VICTORIA, PETER BURNETT IS ALSO DIRECTOR OF THREE HOTELS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND IN 2014 WAS INDUCTED INTO THE AHA HALL OF FAME - A RECOGNITION HE ACKNOWLEDGES AS A GREAT HONOUR.

Peter has been in the industry for over 40 years and has extensive experience in hotels, as well as hospitality and tourism related ventures. Peter holds many board positions within the hospitality industry. He is currently the National President of the Australian Hotels Association and President of the AHA’s Victorian Branch. Peter is also Director of the Australian Gaming Council and Chairman of the National Alcohol and Beverage Industry Council (NABIC). Peter has been awarded the Centenary Medal for his contribution to the Australian Hotel Industry and is a Life Member of the Geelong Football Club.

Having made huge contributions to both the industry and the AHA during his extensive career, Peter is enthusiastic about the future of the AHA and is still excited to work alongside the organisation and licensed pubs; his years in the business only fuelling his passion for the industry further.

Born in Melbourne in 1950, Peter first stepped into a pub at just ten years of age. Alongside his father, he went to a hotel in Richmond called The Rising Sun and drank raspberries as his father sipped on beer. Having a father who worked in the industry, Peter naturally followed in his footsteps, starting his career as a bartender and bottle shop assistant in Hawthorn, Melbourne.

Having begun his profession back in 1967, Peter has seen huge changes in pub culture over the years, all he says for the better and nowadays his enjoyment of the business stems from the fact that the hotel industry is always developing and that he has never stopped learning from it. Through talking to different hoteliers from around Australia and hearing all their different ideas, he proudly states that it’s a great industry that he thoroughly enjoys being part of; there is always more to learn for Peter, and a lot more to do.

Pubs have always held a special place in Peter’s heart - he says his favourite thing about them is their ability to bring together a mix of people; be it politicians, family men, footballers or sporting people.

Peter says that every day is different and that not knowing who’s going to walk in the door next adds excitement, proudly stating that he’s been very fortunate in having both Prime Ministers and some of the greatest footballers enter his pub, but that overall the focus for his business is that people come and enjoy a good meal, a great wine or beer and walk out happy.

It is Peter’s firm belief that the makings of a good pub are ambience, staff and atmosphere and that a combination of these things will make people feel welcome and have them return.

When asked what advice he would give to those starting out in the industry, Peter highlights the importance of training and focusing on franchises that offer extensive experience in the business. He also lays importance on OH&S - the different laws associated with the industry that publicans need to keep up to speed with.

When asked to choose anyone he’d like to share a drink with, Peter instantly says former Prime Minister John Howard, who he’d like to ask what is his favourite whisky is and thank him for the great job he did for Australia.

Peter’s greatest achievement from his career, he says, is how far he’s come with a hotel he’s owned since 1980, stating that although it’s been a long haul, he has loved every minute of it and is proud of what he and his staff have achieved.

AHA & TAA NATIONAL

PETER HURLEY

AFTER STEPPING DOWN FROM HIS ROLE AS AHA NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THREE YEARS IN 2013, INDUSTRY STALWART PETER HURLEY WAS BESTOWED WITH THE HONOUR OF BEING INDUCTED INTO THE AHA HALL OF FAME IN 2014 - A RECOGNITION HE SAYS WAS HUMBLING, DUE TO HIS ADMIRATION OF PREVIOUS INDUCTEES; THOSE HE HAS LOOKED UP TO THROUGHOUT HIS EXTENSIVE CAREER.

Before his role as President of the South Australian branch of the AHA - one that he has held since 1994 – unbeknown to many, Peter was a banker as well as a schoolteacher.

Initially moving to Adelaide in 1968 to attend teaching college, Peter now owns or part owns 12 hotels in South Australia, including The Arkaba Hotel.

During his career, Peter advised as AHA|SA Councillor from 1979, a role he held among many others on the Board, including National President of the AHA (1998-2000 and 2011-2013) and National Senior Vice-President (1995-1998 and 2005-2011), as well as being an AHA|SA and AHA Life Member.

In addition, Peter served as the Deputy Chairman of the Adelaide Football Club during his 14 years on their Board and has been Deputy Chair of the Independent Gaming Corporation since its conception in 1994.

It was through his uncle Jock that Peter was first introduced to the world of pubs - Jock owned a string of pubs in Victoria and it was in one of those that Peter began his career. After leaving school, Peter worked as a glassy in Jock’s first hotel, The Lake Wallace Hotel, in Edenhope, before going to teaching college and working at the Feathers Hotel in Adelaide; a job he says he loved.

With a career stretching over 40 years in the industry, Peter has seen a number of huge changes, the most notable, he says, being the development of pubs becoming not just a place for guests to drink beer, but instead - multi-purpose entertainment facilities.

When discussing why regulars to his pub keep returning, Peter is quick to say he assumes that it is because they have more fun in his pub than at home. And as it costs more to drink at a pub than it does at home, Peter believes it’s the other people that are there that customers come to see and be with - he says that his guests seek out company in his pubs.

Peter also says that his pubs have some leading-edge audiovisual facilities, which means people are able to come along and enjoy a good sporting experience through big screen televisions, featuring quality sound. Peter also believes that customers can have a good meal in one of his pubs, one that probably won’t cost them anymore than it would to try and cook it at home.

For Peter, pubs are special due to their ability to join all different kinds of people together, arguing that in pubs you meet a huge cross-section of the community by their very name- a public house, meaning anybody can walk in the door.

For those starting out in the business, Peter offers the advice that you must always be prepared to work very hard and it is this hard work that Peter attributes his success to.

With his children following in his footsteps, Peter is looking forward to the future and says his hopes for pubs are that they continue to develop with community expectations, stating that it will be those that cater for the latest trends within the community that continue to thrive in the industry.

When asked who he would most like to share a drink with, Peter says Winston Churchill and that he would discuss his theories on leadership. His favourite pub meal would be seafood, as he eats it almost every day and his ideal pub location? Over looking a lovely big, white, sandy beach.