HSA June 21
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SKILLS SHORTAGE<br />
The skills shortage is fast becoming a major handbrake<br />
on our businesses and the problem is escalating.<br />
It was a problem pre-COVID-19, but when we were<br />
forced to shut down, employees moved into other<br />
sectors that weren’t shut down and many have not<br />
returned. Our people have disappeared.<br />
The issue right now is getting both quantity and quality<br />
of staff. As the feature on page 14 reports, we are<br />
suffering because of the lack of overseas students and<br />
backpackers. We have also seen a change in our pool of<br />
staff that are undertaking tertiary staff. They can now<br />
watch lectures online at a time of their choosing, which<br />
means the necessity to ‘study during the day/work at a<br />
pub during the night’ is no longer required.<br />
The feature gives some fresh ideas on how to attract<br />
the staff you need.<br />
In addition, I would urge you to speak with your local<br />
member at every opportunity so that they understand<br />
the severity of the problem and the need<br />
for government action.<br />
GAMING MACHINES: TIME TO CHANGE<br />
Way back in 2005 the then Rann Government<br />
compulsory lowered the number of gaming machines<br />
from pubs as a harm minimisation measure. Clubs<br />
were exempt.<br />
History proved it was a measure that wasn’t grounded<br />
in solid facts; it was just an action that would gain an<br />
easy headline.<br />
That was the birth of the trading round system that<br />
allows venues to buy and sell gaming entitlements.<br />
By any measure, it has been a total flop.<br />
It is time to remove the bureaucracy and let private<br />
enterprise take over. We can already buy a hotel<br />
- complete with the liquor license and gaming<br />
entitlements - privately.<br />
The time is overdue to allow venues that hold a<br />
gaming licence to trade entitlements between each<br />
other, with the role of the bureaucracy restricted to<br />
approving the process just as it does with other license<br />
transfers. This would suit business and trigger activity<br />
to allow the remodel of the remaining (approx) 700<br />
gaming machines and put a stop to that flawed policy<br />
of removing 3000 machines from the hotel sector.<br />
David Basheer, AHA|SA President<br />
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