Hotel SA Jan 2023-Feb 2024

KEY ISSUES
From the President
DAVID BASHEER
The following is the speech I gave to
politicians and key decision makers
at the AHA|SA’s recent Christmas
Lunch. In a room crowded with
people who affect our daily lives
– and businesses – the aim is to
table key issues our industry needs
addressed.
It is a very great pleasure to echo
Annas ’s earlier sentiments and
welcome dignitaries and friends.
Thank you to the Premier for his
kind words.
This annual lunch has been held
continuously since 1960 when
political and industry leaders first
gathered at the Feathers Hotel .
It presents an opportunity to
celebrate the hotel and pub
culture that employs 26250 South
Australians.
So too, it is a time when the AHA
President is afforded the luxury
of offering Governments some
gratuitous advice.
And, in the spirit of the Xmas
season, noting who has been
naughty and who has been nice.
The AHA enjoys an excellent
working relationship with members
of the current State Parliament
This Government deserves credit for
being willing to consult - and have
largely produced positive outcomes
for our members – with Public
Holidays being the exception.
More on that shortly.
Equally, we thank the opposition and
cross benchers for their readiness
to work together on our key issues.
RED TAPE
Headlining the naughty list this
year is a rampant bureaucracy. Like
never before, our industry is being
strangled by red tape!
Elected politicians must intervene
to curtail the unreasonable growth
of regulation and compliance that is
now an exhausting burden.
Our members are frustrated by the
uncoordinated approach of local,
state and federal agencies, who
seem incapable of ever speaking to
each other.
Escalating obligations have left our
family operators being asked to
have a back office more resembling
the size of BHP.
Some examples:
Existing compliance obligations
from local and State Governments
ensure our hotels already have high
standards of food safety.
Now the Federal Government has
jumped in to add its own food safety
standards.
They require highly qualified chefs
- who may be famed leaders in
their field - to do a food safety
101 course.
For 8 hours!
That includes uploading a video of
themselves washing their hands.
Once uploaded, a public servant –
probably working from the comfort
of their own home – will assess if
our chef’s hands are clean enough
to return to the Chargrill.
A further training course is required
for any bar staff whose only food
role may be to occasionally toast
a pre-made cheese and tomato
sandwich.
To me, that makes about as much
sense as requiring a politician
to do a Manual Handling In The
Workplace course merely because
– once every 4 years during the
electoral cycle – they lift a box of
election pamphlets.
There is not a shred of evidence this
extra cost is required.
Common sense dictates ANY
new layer of obligation would see
duplicate Government requirements
removed. But that is never the case
for this growth industry.
Losing key staff for 8 hours
during an acute labour shortage
to demonstrate they can wash
4 | Hotel SA | W W W . A H A S A . A S N . A U Back to Contents