Australian Hotels Association (South Australian Branch)

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee:

That this council—

1. Recognises the Australian Hotels Association (South Australian Branch), AHA (SA), was established in 1871 and has been an integral part of SA’s hospitality and tourism industry for over 150 years;

2. Notes that AHA (SA) is a peak industry organisation that represents and protects the commercial interests of hoteliers throughout South Australia, providing advice on a range of topics, including legislative changes, licensing, gaming, industrial relations, insurance, responsible gambling and community liaison;

3. Acknowledges the social and economic contributions of AHA (SA) and its members, which comprise 630 hotels in South Australia, from small country pubs to five-star hotels and resorts; and

4. Recognises the valuable work by AHA (SA) Executive Council and its Awards of Excellence program to fulfil its mission to encourage, foster and promote the pursuit of excellence in service, facilities and management practices among members for the benefit of the industry and the community of South Australia.

(Continued from 4 May 2023.)

The ACTING PRESIDENT (The Hon. B.R. Hood): I call the Hon. R. Martin.

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (20:09): Thank you, Mr Acting President, and what a fantastic job you are doing in the chair. It is an honour to speak in front of you.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (The Hon. B.R. Hood): You are too kind. Do not mislead parliament, Mr Martin.

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN: I rise to support the motion of the Hon. Jing Lee, and I thank her for bringing it to the chamber. The Australian Hotels Association has played an important part in the tourism industry and the hospitality industry for over 150 years. They have been a fierce advocate and are never afraid to voice their views whether governments of the day like it or not.

What remains absolutely true is their commitment to South Australian businesses and hospitality workers that support their industry. Their advocacy during the COVID pandemic in particular was immense, as it is arguably the toughest time the industry has faced. Since coming into government, the Malinauskas Labor government has worked very closely with the AHA to help support the industry that suffered so greatly during this pandemic.

I would like to take this opportunity in supporting this motion to thank Ian Horne, the former CEO of AHA SA, for his immense and tireless work. Ian and I have shared many a sparkling mineral water over the past 10 years. I always found it quite humorous that the CEO of the Hotels Association did not drink alcohol, and I rarely drink, so we would often enjoy that sparkling water.

I have also built an ongoing relationship with and thank President David Basheer, who has done a fantastic job, and I thought it was great to see Anna Moeller appointed as the new CEO, particularly as it is an industry which for a long time has seemed to be a very masculine industry. For Anna to have done such a good job for a long time and to be appointed as the CEO, I think, is fantastic.

The businesses the AHA represent took the brunt of COVID, and this government is very mindful of the importance of tourism to the Hotels Association. That is why when we came into government we invested $40 million into the Major Events Fund, and we also invested a further $45 million into tourism marketing. This is because a vibrant South Australia directly benefits the economy, and that is good for the AHA's members and the workers they employ.

The state government has brought new events to the state such as LIV Golf, which has just won the best tournament in the world, as well as bringing Gather Round to South Australia, which has really built out our events calendar to reflect the vibrancy of South Australia all year round. I am particularly impressed by the economic impact of LIV Golf, which brought in many thousands of people from interstate and overseas, and I think many of them will come back for the next event.

Events and our broader investments in tourism bring people here filling our hotels, and we have seen some record hotel rates this year. Greater numbers of visitors mean more money is spent in our hotels and venues, which directly support the employment of staff. South Australia's regions are captivating whether you are in the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, the Flinders Ranges, the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast, Upper Spencer Gulf, Eyre Peninsula, on the River Murray or, of course, on Kangaroo Island, and in any of those scenic locations you will find an Australian Hotels Association pub or member providing a critical offering to support our natural attractions.

This year the total visitor expenditure in South Australia in 12 months to June has hit $9.9 billion. That is a record number. It is a significant increase in our state's visitor economy, which was at $6.1 billion in June 2022. This achievement could only be accomplished with the support of the Hotels Association South Australia, their leadership, their members, and the hospitality workers who make up a significant portion of the tourism industry. Once again, I thank the honourable member for bringing this motion and indicate that we will be supporting it.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (20:13): I rise briefly in support of the motion put forward by my colleague the Hon. Jing Lee. Hotels are vibrant inclusions in our state's cultural fabric, so important in fact that 80 per cent of all live music in South Australia is hosted by hotels. Mr Acting President, did you know that hotels contribute almost $1 billion in annual payroll across the state? There are over 630 hotels employing over 26,000 South Australians in both the Adelaide metropolitan area and across our regions. It is important to note how decentralised this workforce is. Where would a country town be without its main street country pub?

Hotels are often the hub of local communities, supporting local businesses and sponsoring all manner of sporting and community clubs. I know my own local football club—that is, the Berri Demons, where I volunteer as a trainer—and the Berri Netball Club, where my girls play, are both supported by the wonderful Berri Hotel: a community hotel. A meal at the Riverview Bistro at the Berri Hotel is something I take pride in sharing with my family, friends and guests visiting the Riverland.

Expanding on this as a regional resident, I would like to focus for a moment on just how fantastic country pubs are. The Hon. Terry Stephens, our President in this chamber, I know has some great memories from his own Whyalla days. I hope that you, Mr Acting President, will agree with me when I say that country pubs offer a warm and welcoming atmosphere, often featuring rustic and charming interiors. They provide a comforting environment that fits with the backdrop and this encourages relaxation and socialisation.

These pubs often serve as community hubs where locals and visitors come together. They act as a gathering place for people to socialise, share stories and build strong bonds, fostering a sense of togetherness. Country pubs frequently serve traditional, locally sourced food and beverages, allowing patrons to savour regional flavours and specialities. The establishments offer a genuine taste of the area's culinary heritage, making them a culinary destination for many and also, in doing so, support many local businesses.

I was extremely pleased to read in the Australian Hotels Association SA's magazine recently about Loretta Wilmshurst's induction into the Women in Hotels Hall of Fame. I wrote to Loretta immediately, congratulating her on the contribution to regional hospitality. Her leadership at the Moonta Hotel, the Two Wells Commercial Hotel and the Commonwealth Hotel in Port Augusta shows that South Australian regions are absolutely a place where entrepreneurial female business leadership can excel and thrive.

I would like to make special note of her work in transforming the Spuds Roadhouse in Pimba, a little fork-in-the-road town 7.9 kilometres south of Woomera. Loretta advocated for and project managed her way through 4,000 tonnes of road filling for surface improvements, a completely reworked Spuds Electrics and revamped their onsite workshop. There were hold-ups. There were fires. There was COVID, but Loretta managed it all and supported her staff along the journey.

It is this can-do attitude of 630 hotels in South Australia that makes me so pleased to support this motion. Our state would be less without our hotels and motels. My colleague the Hon. Ben Hood would not have trained his voice so delightfully if not for the Sunday sessions on the guitar at the Bushman's Arms in Naracoorte. My footy club would be a penny short when it came to the end of year budget.

I would again like to thank my colleague for bringing this motion forward. I, too, would like to acknowledge former CEO Ian Horne and current CEO Anna Moeller for their dedication to the industry, as well as acknowledge the wonderful role that David Basheer plays as chair. I extend congratulations to the Australian Hotels Association executive and their staff for their continued work and I look forward to this motion passing the chamber this evening.

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (20:18): I rise briefly to add my comments in support of the motion and to congratulate and thank the Australian Hotels Association of South Australia on the integral role they play on behalf of pubs, clubs, hotels and smaller hospitality venues.

I had the pleasure of meeting the new CEO, Anna Moeller, recently right here in Parliament House and I thank her for bringing me up to speed on the current issues facing the hospitality and tourism sectors in South Australia. I was inspired by Anna's passion and her down-to-earth nature and have no doubt that she will carry on the great work undertaken by former CEO, Ian Horne, whose astounding 31 years in the role will certainly be hard to follow.

The difficulties faced by the hospitality and tourism sectors following COVID-19 should not be underestimated. While the sector is resilient, they are still reeling from the impacts of wideranging restrictions that businesses and their customers were struck with. As a consequence of that period, consumer behaviour has changed. Many pubs and clubs now no longer rely on what was once steady and consistent bookings.

With more CBD staff working from home they are experiencing less customer foot traffic and this has made staff rostering more difficult to plan for. Recruiting staff has also been more challenging after this period. What was once a reliable and steady industry has had that perception changed after the immense restrictions that were put on them.

Hospitality and tourism staff also suffered as a direct result of confusing constraints and onerous mandates, and while the bump provided to the CBD with major events was no doubt welcome for hospitality venues in Adelaide it has not provided the same steady consistent streams of customers and revenue that certainly they once experienced.

I am very pleased to hear the news overnight that some great pubs that are very close to my heart were winners of the AHA SA Hotel Industry Awards for Excellence. In the category of bar presentation and experience in the country, noky at The Henty in Mount Gambier took the top gong. The Kosch family in Mount Gambier are stalwarts of hospitality and accommodation in the region, and I am so happy that Michael, Tom, Evan, Lucy and the team at noky at The Henty could take that top gong.

In best entertainment venue category was the Hindmarsh—The Gov that we love—was the stand-out winner. I have seen so many of my favourite artists playing The Gov over the years. I thought I would quickly just riff a little bit more on country pubs and my experience in them, playing in pretty much every—

The PRESIDENT: Can you just explain to me what 'riff' is?

The Hon. B.R. HOOD: 'Riff' can mean two things, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: I was just asking the Clerk, not you.

The Hon. B.R. HOOD: Very good. I will just continue on, Mr President, although I was very comfortable in your seat just before, so we will see how we go.

The PRESIDENT: The Clerk does not know.

The Hon. B.R. HOOD: To riff is to play something on the guitar or just to carry on like I am at the moment, not making any sense. I have enjoyed playing music all over regional South Australia, and I could only do that because of the pubs—because of the pubs that backed in live music and let people like me have a couple of beers, play a couple of songs and let people enjoy themselves of a night.

I also did pour many a beer in the Bushman's Arms, which was then known as the Commercial Hotel, in Naracoorte for about six years while Elle and I were newly married and we were saving for a house. So employment in pubs is such an important part of this. Again, I thank the AHA and congratulate them on all the amazing work they do, from small country pubs to five-star hotels and everything in between. To conclude, I reiterate my support for the motion and appreciate the AHA's efforts. I thank the Hon. Jing Lee for bringing this motion, which I support, to the chamber.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (20:22): I would like to take a slightly different path. I would love to talk about my time in country pubs, but I do not think it is probably appropriate for the chamber. I would like to—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: No, you do not want to hear them. The Australian Hotels Association is an incredible advocate for not only what they do as an industry but at a social level. We only have to look at what a pub has meant for many people in this chamber. It is often a place where we can go to to be and feel a part of a community, to feel a part of something bigger than ourselves.

You only have to look back at the very short history of our pubs in South Australia and Australia. In 1965, if you were a woman you were able for the very first time to go into the front bar of a pub. That is not that distant in the past, but pubs since then have made it their way of becoming more inclusive to bring their communities together, and I could not be more thankful for what the AHA have done for the autistic community in recent times. They have decided to put on a full-time person, with the support of Autism SA, going out to all their pubs and clubs to make them more inclusive.

People in this chamber today have shared what it means for them to go to a pub and share a special occasion, be that a family event, maybe a 21^st or a 50^th, but imagine if you went to celebrate that 21^st birthday party and only half of your family could join you at that special celebration, or imagine if you were going out as a family unit and only half of your family unit could actually go to celebrate that special occasion because one of your family members is autistic.

One parent often finds themselves staying at home caring for a child, while the other half of the family is going out to celebrate that special occasion. To the credit of the Australian Hotels Association, they recognised that there was an opportunity here to provide a more inclusive space for our community. I really want to thank Anna for leading the charge in this in her new role as the CEO of AHA and providing the opportunity to make our pubs and clubs more inclusive.

I believe that for the first time in our country we now have a full-time person dedicated, thanks to the AHA, to go out to our pubs and clubs and make them more inclusive so that the whole family unit can go and celebrate that 21^st together or that very special family occasion as a unit. I cannot thank them enough for making that possible. As Anna from the AHA said in a recent article:

Embracing inclusivity has the potential to open your venue to the community, to over 205,000 autistic individuals, along with their families and friends and supporters.

This is the success of autistic individuals also in our workforce. We know that if we make our pubs and clubs more inclusive for our customers to come along, we also make them more inclusive for our workforce, and that is something as a government we are really proud of doing. We are proud that we are making people more knowledgeable in the space of what autism is so that we can have more people go into our workforce.

We know that in our hospitality industry quite often it is someone's very first job. If we are giving them more knowledge in their first form of employment, we are also giving them knowledge when we are setting them up for their future job opportunities as well. I say a big thank you to David Basheer as well. We know that our pubs and clubs are not only our community hub but a big family business.

The Australian Hotels Association is run by families for good reason: they believe in what they do. The Australian Hotels Association is a really good example of what a family business looks like. The Basheers: Trina is my favourite, an incredible individual, and you can just go across the road and the Strathmore is a true display of what a family business looks like with David, Trina and James quite often behind the bar.

Then you see the Hurley family, and Anna again has been incredibly supportive of the new role of having someone go out to our pubs and clubs to make them more inclusive. We also launched the new role at Kent Town of having a person go out to our pubs and clubs to make them more inclusive for the autistic community with Tom Hannah. Another family unit with Tom, Lara and Tom Junior, who you often find behind the front bar, again supporting that business as a family to make it more inclusive as well.

A very big thank you to Anna for what she has been able to lead as a new step forward, and also a big thank you to Ian, who started the initiative with making our pubs and clubs more inclusive. It is an incredible industry, one that we know gives so many opportunities to our workforce and also to our community.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (20:28): I take this opportunity to, first of all, thank all honourable members for making contributions to support this motion. It is a great recognition testament that we have so many members wanting to make contributions to this particular motion to recognise the Australian Hotels Association.

I thank the Hon. Reggie Martin, the Hon. Dr Nicola Centofanti, the Hon. Ben Hood and the Hon. Emily Bourke. Thank you also for sharing those personal stories of different pubs, fostering that sense of community that you talk about via the various different personal experiences and community achievements, that pubs have given back to the community in terms of volunteering services, donations or sponsorship of various different events in the regions—it is really amazing.

It is timely to bring this motion to a vote tonight because last night marked the 2023 AHA National Awards for Excellence, which celebrate the achievements of the South Australian hotel industry. There were 42 awards given, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate every single award winner and joint winners for the 42 categories of awards that were given by the Australian Hotels Association South Australia. Once again, there was great leadership by David Basheer, great leadership by Anna Moeller and, of course, paying tribute to the retiring member, the CEO, Ian Horne, who has been such a staunch leader who left such a great legacy for the industry.

Last night's awards were attended by over 900 participants from the hotel industry. The room at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre was packed. Both sides of politics attended the event. I recall seeing the Treasurer, the Hon. Stephen Mullighan, and also the minister, the Hon. Andrea Michaels, there. I joined the Hon. David Speirs, the Leader of the Opposition, together with another colleague, Josh Teague, the member for Heysen, and also the member for Colton, the shadow treasurer, Matt Cowdrey. The night was an overwhelming success.

Once again, thank you so much to all the honourable members who supported this motion and who give due recognition to the AHA for their contributions to South Australia. I commend the motion.

Motion carried.