Australia: Queensland lockout laws: Hospitality industry says thousands of work hours will be cut

The Courier-Mail
By Anthony Templeton
June 29, 2016
TENS of thousands of working hours will be lost from pubs and nightclubs each month in Queensland as a result of the State Government’s tough new alcohol laws, the industry claims.

The Courier-Mail understands the two major pub chains, owned by supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles, are planning for major reductions in staff hours after the laws start tomorrow.

The chains dominate the pub market in Queensland and industry figures privately concede the reduction in staffing levels by the two major operators could be more than 20,000 hours per month.

Smaller operators, particularly venues in nightclub zones which had been allowed to serve alcohol after 3am under current rules, are also likely to cut staff hours significantly.

The laws, which begin at 12.01am tomorrow, force suburban and country pubs to call last drinks at 2am and venues in designated safe (late) night precincts such as Fortitude Valley and Cairns CBD can serve alcohol until 3am.

Mr David Curry, a spokesman for Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (the Woolworths-owned chain) said hospitality staff would be hit with fewer hours and job opportunities because of the laws.

“There is no doubt this legislation will reduce employment in our hotels,” he said.

But Mr Curry declined to comment on the size of the reduction in staff hours the company was budgeting for.

Queensland Hotels Association chief executive Justin O’Connor said tens of thousands of staff hours would be lost each month as a result of the new laws.

“A lot of the people that are going to be affected are those who do not have a lot of money left over at the end of the week,” he said.

But a spokesman for Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said similar measures in Newcastle resulted in a 45 per cent increase in the number of licensed venues around its CBD.

Trent Meade, owner/operator of the Met and GPO nightclubs in the Valley, has already told 100 staff to expect fewer hours from this weekend.