DECEMBER 2021 HOSPITALITY REVIEW
The North West Coast could soon find itself as a hot spot for craft beer lovers, with several microbreweries opening their doors in 2021. COASTAL COLLABORATION
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REGULAR SECTIONS President’s Update 5 CEO Update 7 Hospitality Minister 11 Great Customer Experience 12 - 13 Opposition Leader 15 Membership & Corporate 20 IR Update 21 Workforce Development 24 - 25 Sports Minister 27 Clubs Tasmania 32 - 33 INSIDE THIS ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURES Crowne Plaza 8 - 10 Coastal Collaboration 16 - 19 Jobs Portal 23 Tour of Tas 28 - 30 Turner Stillhouse 34 - 35 Wotif Awards 38 - 39 Run The Bridge 40 - 41 Mentally Healthy Workplaces 42 - 43 TasTafe 44 - 45
Connect with us: @tashospitality @tas_hospitality
For editorial enquires contact Adam Smith adam@tha.asn.au 0417327093
Turner Stillhouse
http://tha.asn.au
PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
THA PRESIDENT PAUL JUBB
CHRISTMAS is nearly upon us and an early present has arrived for the industry with Tasmania’s borders opening just in time for the festive season. To say the past two years have been among the toughest we have all experienced is a huge understatement and our hopes are once the state is fully open fromDecember 15, it remains that way and we avoid further lockdowns and restrictions which have crippled our operators. There will no doubt be some teething problems along the journey, especially in the early stages, as businesses strive to return to full operational capacity from pre Covid times. But I have absolutely no doubt the resilience shown throughout this testing period holds us in good stead to bounce back and again thrive, proving why the hospitality sector in this state is so widely regarded. The signs are already there, with the fact that more than 2300 bookings for the Spirit of Tasmania were made in one afternoon immediately after the premier announced our borders were reopening highlighting how eager visitors from Victoria and NSW are to return to our island. That momentum has not slowed and hearing accommodation and restaurants are taking bookings well into January and February is extremely pleasing.
I’d like to also take the opportunity to thank Steve Old and his team for the mountain of work they have done throughout 2021. The pandemic has thrown curveball after curveball at our industry and THA staff have been the ones at the coalface who have been there to provide the assistance and care. Many issues have been far from straightforward but the tireless work from everyone has played a major role in helping businesses remain viable. To the rest of our board members, thank you for your support during the year. There have been plenty of robust discussions but the one glaring positive is the united front when it comes to hospitality. I respect everything the Tasmanian Government has done to keep us all safe but we always have, and always will, stand up for our industry. That often means lobbying hard against certain measures and I think our politicians certainly have a good understanding of just how difficult this period has been and why we are so passionate. Finally thank you to everyone who contributes to the Hospitality Review. Our aim is to make the magazine both informative and interesting, highlighting not only the important issues and news but also all the wonderful events, people, establishments and places that make up this wonderful industry. I wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous festive season as we look to bounce back in 2022 bigger and better than ever.
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CEO’S UPDATE
THA CEO STEVE OLD
WELL another year is nearly over, and another rollercoaster year at that for the hospitality industry. Twelve months ago we were in a very similar position, coming out of easing restrictions and setting up for the summer while welcoming visitors from around the country into the early parts of 2021. Then the borders went up to our two biggest tourism markets for an extended period, business slowed down and we even went into our own snap lockdown because of one positive Covid case in southern Tasmania. There has been understandable angst and frustration from the entire community, but especially from the hospitality sector as we returned to the drawing board to navigate our way out of the effects of the pandemic. It has certainly at times been a slog and patience sapping exercise lobbying the state government on behalf of the THA board and the industry as a whole, but it is always worth the effort when we see our genuine concerns formally recognised and acted upon. Businesses have been forced to adapt and change and I’m extremely proud of all my staff for their efforts in ensuring venues remain on their feet, viable, and are set up to hopefully reap the rewards of what the next few months looks set to bring. Scrutiny will always come from a small minority for the funding we receive but the success and feedback of our programs is proof of how important the THA is for the industry, and how important this funding is to help operators within in it. If there is one thing our borders being closed to interstate regions for periods of times has shown
us, it is the appetite to experience everything our state has to offer is as high as ever judging by the booking numbers since premier Peter Gutwein announced the December 15 reopening. The buzz has certainly returned as the weeks ticked by towards that date, and I’m sure the impact will be instant with hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes across Tasmania all benefiting. Wearealsohoweverwellawarethereareconcerns to keep up with this sharp rise in demand. It is why there has been a concerted effort to focus on connecting business owners and operators with potential staff, while encouraging people of all ages to join and experience the industry. The T21 joint partnership between the THA, TICT and the state government has delivered a new jobs portal (www.tastourismandhospitalityjobs. com.au) to encourage Tasmanians, both younger and older, to consider jobs in hospitality and tourism. There has never been a better time for younger Tasmanians who might be finishing school, looking to pick up summer holidays work or who are taking a gap year to come and experience everything the hospitality industry has to offer. But with our visitor numbers about to explode, it is just as important that the industry has plenty of experienced heads to lean on. Thank you to all THA staff and board members for their efforts throughout the year, it has been another challenging 12 months but equally rewarding as we get this wonderful industry back on its feet. I wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New Year period, as we turn our attention to a big 2022, which kicks off with the national AHA awards here in Hobart on February 8.
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VENUE FEATURE: CROWNE PLAZA
Tasmania’s entire hospitality industry has taken a beating in the last 18 months – but none more so than the accommodation sector. Yet despite the significant financial blow most venues have endured due to lack of visitor numbers, if the attitude of one inner city operator is to go by, optimism of a swift bounce back is high. For a new accommodation venue in the heart of Hobart’s CBD, the Covid-19 pandemic hit at the worst possible time for the Crowne Plaza. Initially set to open on March 20 last year – the weekend Tasmania first shut its borders to the rest of the country as premier Peter Gutwein declared a state of emergency – Crowne Plaza general manager Linda Collis instead found herself standing down all but half a dozen of her workforce. It took another six to eight weeks before Collis could bring staff back, with the hotel officially opening in July. As the state emerged from hibernation late last year into the early part of 2021, the popularity of the 235-room venue began to show. Then the second wave of border lockouts hit, including the major markets of Victoria and NSW, and again Collis was forced to weather the storm.
“When we first did our market segmentation, we had probably 25 to 30 per cent of our business projected to be international,” Collis said. “Then the majority of our domestic business, which we’re expecting to be conference group business, was coming from New South Wales and Victoria. “That absolutely took its toll. We’ve certainly been able to build up some business from Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, but they weren’t our traditional markets. “Some of ourbusinesswe have got, both corporate business and leisure business, is only because the other states have shut. “When the New Zealand direct flights were happening we did start seeing business pretty much instantaneously, but of course that stopped too. “Talking numbers, the impact in a month would be 5000 to 6500 room nights. If you look at average rates in Hobart, and even if we said it was $200, imagine losing five to six and a half thousand. “Most months it would be a million dollars plus lost in revenue.” Even as Tasmania emerged from its first lockdown, locals weren’t flocking to hotels in their home state.
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“Talking numbers, the impact in a month would be 5000 to 6500 room nights. If you look at average rates in Hobart, and even if we said it was $200, imagine losing five to six and a half thousand. Most months it would be a million dollars plus lost in revenue.” – Linda Collis talking about the financial impact on Crowne Plaza when borders closed.
But when interstate visitors were able to access Tasmania earlier this year, the pick-up for the Crowne Plaza was almost instant. “We were doing occupancies of about 10 per cent [per month] when Hobart first emerged from lockdown, and when everyone was open earlier this year, we were up to 80 per cent occupancy,” Collis said. “That’s a brand new hotel, we hadn’t established ourselves in themarket by any stretchwhatsoever. “A 70 per cent difference is very significant. I think the location of the hotel, what hurt us, is again people in Tasmania had to travel in Tasmania and most people live in Hobart so they were going out to explore our beautiful state, but not ideal for us.”
Now as Tasmania prepares to throw open its borders again on December 15, Collis is busily preparing for a summer periodwhich is projecting extremely positively. Given everything she has been through in the past 12 months, you could forgive her for being cautious about what lies ahead, especially given the state government’s tendency to impose stricter measures at a whim. However Collis refuses to dwell on the past, presenting an optimism which is arguably reflective of themajority of the hospitality industry. “It could be blind optimism, but there is fact and data to support it.
“If we stay open, I think we’re all in for a cracker end of this year and into 2022. We’ve certainly seen enormous demand coming in for most months next year.”
Hospitality Review: December 2021 9 Pictured:Linda Collis
“At some point we have to draw a line in the sand and plan to get back to a new normal and I feel that is what has happened.”
“If we stay open, I think we’re all in for a cracker end of this year and into 2022. We’ve certainly seen enormous demand coming in for most months next year. “Towards the back end of the year, we’re starting to see international demand coming in as well. So we’re crossing our fingers that actually happens, but it certainly does look like it will be. “Bookings probably picked up 1000 fold [from when the December 15 reopening date was announced], where we might have been picking up $2000 a day in future bookings, we picked up $20,000 a day. “It was very significant and very quick. “At some point we have to draw a line in the sand and plan to get back to a new normal and I feel that is what has happened. “Companies are paying deposits too so the level of their confidence, that their event for 100-200 people is going to go ahead, that they’re willing to put the money in the bank and say we’re coming.” And if there was any silver lining to the border closures and even southern Tasmania’s snap
lockdown in October, it allowed Collis and the Crowne Plaza to fine tune their WorkSafe procedures. “The beauty of the experience we’ve had, we’ve experienced a little bit of everything without the major impacts – and financially we’ve had significant impacts – but not like Sydney shutting down for three months. “We haven’t had that. We shut down for four days in October, so all the plans we had in place, we had to put it in practice but we did it for a short time. “We did all our lockdown procedures and then all our reopening procedures literally in four days. “I would have rather us not do it but from a staffing and us practicing and training perspective, it’s hard to prepare for that until it happens. “Now that we’ve done that, we’ve learned, we’ve dealt now with people coming in and then having to isolate so we have procedures in place for that. “I feel like we’re prepared, our procedures have been tested a fair bit and I think the general public is a whole lot better than they were a year ago.”
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Minister for Hospitality and Events and Minister for Skills, Training and
EDITORIAL
Workforce Growth SARAH COURTNEY
The health and safety of Tasmanians remains the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s number one priority and with our vaccination program continuing to proceed well, Tasmania is ready to reopen on December 15. We understand that the border reopening is both an exciting and nervous time for our tourism and hospitality operators. That’s why theGovernment is doing everythingwe can to assist the industry and indeed businesses to be prepared for the reopening and what the influx of visitors might bring. Businesses need to review their Covid Safety Plans, which capture how the business or organisation complies with the minimum standards for managing the risks of Covid-19 to keep staff and other people within the setting safe. Depending on the size of the business or organisation and whether it is a high-risk setting, a Case and Outbreak Management Plan may also be required to capture how your business or organisation will prepare for and respond to a confirmed case or cases of Covid-19 in their workplace or setting. Worksafe Tasmania has developed comprehensive guidelines and templates to assist businesses in ensuring their workplaces are Covid-safe and that their employees, customers and clients, understand expectations and safety measures in place. If your business requires help or advice to complete your planning, please contact Worksafe directly on 1300 366 322. Businesses have had Covid safety plans in place for about 12 months, and while I understand that we have been Covid free, I once again urge businesses to look at their plans and update their risk assessments to determine their position in respect to vaccination, mask wearing and social distancing controls.
Importantly, our aim is for businesses to continue to remain open and continue trading. If broader localised hot spots are identified by Public Health, then targeted local area lockdowns may be implemented, with closure of a business a last resort option We’ve acted on public health advice every step of the way and that’s what has made Tasmania one of the safest places in the world. Importantly there will be health measures in place at our borders and in our community. This includes the requirements ranging from isolation and testing if you or your staff have Covid-19 or are identified as being a close contact, to being classed as a casual contact. I strongly encourage everyone to visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.auformore information. The Government will continue to work closely with the THA, as well as individual businesses to ensure we can be responsive to the needs of industry and consider how best to support businesses as we progress together through the border reopening phase.
Pictured: Sarah Courtney at Peppina
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GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
In what has been a rewarding two months for the GCE program, we have been out in industry supporting venues as they prepare for a busy summer. Some key stats for GCE this financial year include: • Over 700 Venue engagements • 178 Business Health Checks conducted • 43 Seals of Approval handed out • 62 Venue Awareness Sessions conducted A huge part of this has been providing venues with Business Health Checks. The Business Health Check is designed togive theoperatoranobjective view of their business and help identify areas they would benefit from improving to elevate the customer experience in their venue. The Business Health Check assesses venue performance across three key areas: staffing, customer service and business practices. After the Business Health Check is completed, the venue is given a report which provides targeted strategies to improve the venue across those three key areas, an analysis of their social media channels and whether they have achieved a Seal of Approval. Venues that don’t reach the benchmark for a Seal of Approval are given advice and strategies to identify areas they could improve before their revaluation in three months. Once a venue has attained their Seal of Approval, they will be re-assessed two years from the date of eligibility.
A proven method of elevating staff engagement in the business and in the customer has been the provision of a GCE Venue Awareness Session. Venues have reported these sessions as pivotal moments highlighting to each of their staff the importance of their role in ensuring a great customer experience and the success of the business. We continue to work to ensure industry, tourists and patrons are aware that a Seal of Approval means the venue is not only passionate about creating a great customer experience, but they are also committed to their staff and great Tasmanian hospitality. Bakers Lane in Launceston completed their Business Health Check back in April, but with the busy season approaching, requested a revisit from the GCE team. Deb took the Bakers Lane crew through a Venue Awareness Workshop session – one owner Stella Thomson said was hugely beneficial. Formally a bar, restaurant and late night venue, Bakers Lane has turned its attention solely as a nightclub due to impacts of Covid-19. “I organised a time for Deb to come in and train some of the newer staff, I guess we are very bar based now and I think it was nice for everyone to get a basic understanding of hospitality business,” Thomson said. I could see the benefit it would have on staff learning why we are doing what we do.” One of the most important aspects of the GCE session for Thomson was having hospitality information provided from a different voice. It has also had an immediate impact on the output of her staff. “It was very helpful for a lot of them, I’ve been in the industry fora lot of years, soa lot of information they were receiving in the training was a lot of stuff I had kind of taken for granted as common knowledge.
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GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
“For them to feel engaged and really understand why customer service is important, why venue awareness is important to them, was great. “I have noticed they are coming to me with ways to save money or get more people in, or they are coming to me with new ideas about recipes. “It was good for them to see what difference they could make within the business, even if it is just small changes or areas they take control of. “For them to be able to see facts and figures and graphs laid out in front of them, it was a much better approach than I had been able to give them before.”
Jack Milbourne (southern regional manager): jack@tha.asn.au 0439763977 Lee Christmas (northern regional manager): lee@tha.asn.au 0422192174 Stuart Jones (north west regional manager): stuart@tha.asn.au 0460624858 Enquires? Contact
Enquires? Contact
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Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events REBECCAWHITE
EDITORIAL
What a year it has been for all Tasmanians. Together we have gone through the ups and downs of Covid-19, a snap lockdown in the south and now, with borders reopening, we have a chance to welcome back family, friends and holiday makers for the busy summer season. I would like to thank all of Tasmania’s tourism and hospitality businesses for following the rules outlined by public health and pushing through what has been an incredibly challenging time. Not only have businesses worked nonstop to ensure they are delivering a Covid safe experience for their customers, but the community has been amazing. We have seen people rally around and take pride in their local businesses and this support has left Tasmania in good stead and ready for reopening. I’m sure many of our amazing businesses and tourist destinations are excited for the influx of interstate visitors the border reopening will bring, however it would be remiss of me to ignore that there are still many uncertainties that lie ahead. Questions like what will Covid do to our health system, what happens if someone visiting a business gets Covid and why are our restrictions different to interstate will be in the minds of many,
and despite the excitement of reopening, many people in our community are right to feel nervous. And then of course there is the news of other variants of Covid emerging and questions about what this will mean for the best laid plans. This is why Labor has been asking important questions about our reopening plan in Parliament. We want to make sure that once the borders reopen and Covid enters the state, we are ready. Despite the uncertainties that lie ahead, it is clear that for many Tasmanians we are in an incredibly exciting time. Families are being reunited, friends reconnected and businesses are set to see visitor numbers sky rocket. Tasmanians have worked hard to get to this point and deserve to spend their Christmas with their loved ones, albeit in a Covid safe way. The past year has been one of many ups and downs and it is important we take the time to reflect on this. As the nation continues to open up and the vaccination rate continues to rise, we can look forward to 2022 with increased optimism. I would once again like to thank all Tasmanians who have done their bit to keep our state safe this year. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe new year.
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Photo Credit: Paul Pichugin
VENUE FEATURE: COASTAL COLLABORATION
THE craft beer movement has been gathering momentum for the past decade, and Tasmania’s North West Coast is well and truly getting in on the act to join other regions in the state. Tasmania’s North West Coast may have been slightly slower in the uptake when it came to finding watering holes which stocked products outside those from major breweries, but things are now trending in the right direction. Craft breweries, alongside their micro counterparts and ‘brewpubs’, are becoming increasingly popular across the country, despite still only amounting for around nine per cent of the entire beer market. That’s something three coastal entrepreneurs are hoping to play their part in increasing. Buttons Brewing, the brainchild of Josh Roberts, began operating in Ulverstone’s Short Street in 2017 and was among the first to establish itself on the coast. Buttons proved such a hit that by 2019, Roberts and his wife Cora expanded by opening a bar and restaurant at the Leven Wharf.
Scott and Tara Seymour - who previously ran a craft beer bar in Bendigo - joined the party by opening Penguin Beer Co on the town’s Main Road earlier this year, and are currently building their Island State Brewing masterpiece in Devonport at Providore Place, which is scheduled for completion in January. In mid-November, Andrew Turner’s eight month vision for Communion Brewing Company was finally realised when it opened its doors on the corner of Burnie’s Alexander and Wilmot Streets, firmly entrenching the region as a micro-brewery destination. “We first started in 2017 and for the reason that there wasn’t any decent beer options on the North West coast,” said Roberts, who has a background in agriculture but realised his true passion was in brewing after he moved to Ulverstone. “I always knew that once we started up, it was just a matter of time before each town would probably have its own little brewery like what’s happening now.
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“I always knew that once we started up, it was just a matter of time before each town would probably have its own little brewery like what’s happening now. I think it’s just going to become a destination for people, beer lovers or just people who love that sort of vibe to be able to visit three or four places in a day. I think it’s great.” – Buttons Brewing owner Josh Roberts
“I think it’s just going to become a destination for people, beer lovers or just people who love that sort of vibe to be able to visit three or four places in a day. I think it’s great.” As one of the first to open a point of difference from the traditional bar or pub, Roberts admitted holding some reservations whether his love of home brewing could turn into a commercial success. “It was funny actually, I had quite a lot of reservations. I didn’t hold on too much with the demographic of the North West coast. “It’s amazing to see the people who come out of the woodwork, you think you know a place and a town based on what you see down the street, but when we opened up, I was just blown away by the amount of people who were keen for this sort of style of beer and the support that we had. “I remember when I first started around that sort of 2016, 2017 mark, I think the most flavoursome thing you could buy in Ulverstone was a Little Creatures Pale Ale, which nowadays is quite a mild sort of beer.
“Back then, I was always brewing because that’s what I wanted to drink and I couldn’t get access to it and now it’s everywhere.” For the Seymour’s, the wheels for their venture were set in motion while on holiday in Tasmania pre Covid. Three months later they had packed up and moved from Bendigo, embarking on turning the site of a former bakery in Penguin into a family- friendly craft beer venue while finding a location for their brewery. “It’s just so beautiful up here and I think it’s just such a destination,” Scott said. “We tend to check it offas soonaswegoanywhere, we look for the local craft brewery and there just wasn’t a great deal of choice up this way in such a beautiful part of the world. “We initially wanted to build a brewery in Penguin, but council just weren’t coming to the party and there was nowhere really that it could fit it. “So we started looking further afield and my wife and I had already seen the Providore Place site and we thought someone was going to put a brewery in there one day… so we thought we might as well do it there.”
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“We tend to check it off as soon as we go anywhere, we look for the local craft brewery and there just wasn’t a great deal of choice up this way in such a beautiful part of the world.” - Penguin Beer Co owner Scott Seymour.
Self-confessed ‘foodie’ Andrew Turner has successfully run popular Burnie café The Chapel, ultimately leading him on the path towards Communion Brewing Company. Not one to do things in half measures - the venue plays host to a 500L, three vessel brewery with six 1000L fermenters and boasts a commercial kitchen with seating for 120 - Turner ploughed ahead despite the setbacks and delays from the Covid pandemic. It was all worth it following November’s successful launch. “Up at the Chapel we make everything from scratch as much as we possibly can, that includes roasting our own beans and baking our own bread, that sort of expanded into the beer as well,” Turner said. “I’ve always been a foodie, I did all of our coffee roasting and so it [brewing] was the next sort of step.” A big focus for Turner with Communion, like Penguin Beer Co and Buttons, is remaining loyal to the locals, while he is also mindful of the environmental impact.
“There’s pride to be had in your local drop, it’s similar to restaurants, if you go to a restaurant, you don’t want to eat something there that’s been made somewhere else. You want it to be made there. “This is the same. It’s beer in Burnie, made in Burnie for people that live in Burnie. “Our taps are also five metres from the tanks. We’re not shipping beer all around the country and generating a heap of horrible environmental impact as a result.” With the region now spoilt for choice in the craft beer stakes, rather than see themselves in competition with each other, the trio firmly believe working together will only enhance the Coast as a tourist hotspot when the borders reopen.
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Seymour declared Buttons as “a big reason” why he moved to the coast, while Roberts initiated the first of what he hopes is a collaboration brew. “I’ve seen around other parts of the country, even down in Hobart, all those smaller, independent breweries working together and it just works really well,” Roberts said. “We’re just trying to get a portion of that market. There’s plenty of people to go around. I’ve seen heaps of collaborations done down in Hobart, but also different parts of Victoria where three breweries are sort of close together and they do a collaboration brew, and it always seems to go well and shows that everyone’s keen to work together. “That’s why I initiated that coastal collab we did just recently.” Turner added: “You can’t have beer tours with only one brewery. It’s really what the coast needed for a long time really.”
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MEMBERSHIP & CORPORATE
Membership
Corporate
Hospitality venues are more united than ever, and with over 750 members in 2021 the THA continue to play a role supporting a wide range of industry. While venues continue to feel the ongoing impacts from Covid-19, our staff have been there to provide advice and support to remove the burden from our members and let them focus on what they do best - ‘provide a great experience’. We are an association that listens to industry and lobbies government and stakeholders for outcomes that support our members. As our membership continues to grow the industry’s voice becomes louder, which in turn helps benefit industry, and I thank those members who have recommended venues for us to visit to discuss membership opportunities. Quite often the main reason for venues becoming a member is the industry leading employment relations support we provide, however once conversation starts and we better understand a venue’s needs, our corporate partner support network comes in to play – often uncovering large savings across a range of day to day expenses. A focus in the second half of the year was to get around the regions on our tour of Tasmania with CEO Steve Old. The trips were a great way to visit venues, listen to issues, and take the opportunity to catch up and discuss what we and our corporate partners can do for you. There is an article about the trips on page 28 which talks about the challenges venues are facing, and how we are using this information to support industry. We look forward to hitting the road again in 2022 and seeing our members in their venues. We are proud to be able to hold membership fees again at the 2020 rate given the continued challenges the industry is facing, membership renewal correspondence has been postedout and we hope you have received this. We will continue to advocate passionately and relentlessly for the best interests of the industry and issues that affect your business and livelihoods and look forward to continuing to support everyone well into the future. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any questions around your membership renewal or to update your details.
We continue to source newpartners andworkwith existing partners to help members save money or become more efficient with their businesses. The strength of our growing membership base means more and more partners are looking to the THA to support and connect with industry. With over 60 corporate partners there is some great support available. While a few are detailed below, our member renewal packs will have a booklet outlining all these partners and what support they can offer members. Please call me on 0439 119 343 to discuss what they can do for your venue or suggestions of areas of your business where you need assistance. Through our partnershipwith Bennett’s Petroleum our members, and their staff, can access 6 cents per litre discount (up to 75 litres) on their fuel purchase simply by showing their THA/ Bennett’s keyring at any one of their retail sites. With their venues also including the Mood Food brand, members can also access exclusive offers throughout the year when they visit these venues. Bunnings Trade and the THA are delighted to have formed a strategic partnership which gives you the opportunity to join Powerpass! Bunnings Powerpass is a free commercial account designed to make life easier for trade and commercial customers, giving you - • Customised pricing for hospitality venues and sporting clubs on a wide range of products tailored to your industry • Offers on a wide range of leading brands •Flexible fulfilment solutions • In-Store dedicated Trade Specialists and Account Managers on the road • Powerpass App and online account management It is also exciting to mention we now have a northern office located at 22 Brisbane Street in Launceston, if you are in the area feel free to drop in at any time. I hope you and your families have a safe and busy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and I look forward to working with you and for you in 2022.
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Membership or Corporate Enquiries? contact Nick Roney E: nick@tha.asn.au or call 0439 119 343
IR UPDATE A FINE LINE: APPLYING PRESSURE TO RESIGN
In this article, THA’s Employment Relations - Business Improvement Manager Merv Saltmarsh examines an unfair dismissal application which highlights the fine line employers must be wary of when dealing with policy breaches. In a single member decision, Fair Work Commissioner Bruce Williams deemed an employer’s actions in dealing with a disciplinary matter were inappropriate, but decided against reinstatement as it was found the employee made a decision of his own accord to resign. Background In this case, Robert Tiller v Relationships Australia Western Australia Inc [2018] FWC 5519 (4 September 2018), the employee allegedly breached social media policy with a Facebook posting of a newspaper article challenging the notion domestic violence was not gender neutral. The employer alleged supporting the article was “not only wrong but dangerous” given the employee was involved in counselling both men and women. When called to a meeting with management, a colleague who the employee elected to have attend as a support person was on leave, but the meeting proceeded nevertheless. At the conclusion of the meeting, the chief executive asked the employee: “Where do we go from here?” This prompted the employee to volunteer his resignation. In his unfair dismissal application, the employee said that during the meeting he felt he had to resign as a result of the employer alleging he had committed a serious breach. This was rejected by Commissioner Williams. The chief executive did not say to the employee he would be given the opportunity to resign in a bid to protect his professional reputation, it was found. It was also not communicated that the employee’s employment would be terminated, nor would he be dismissed if he did not resign. Commissioner Williams heard that the day following the meeting, the parties discussed the differences between him being dismissed and resigning. The employee subsequently provided a written resignation letter, but contended it was under coercion because of the conduct of the employer during the meeting. The decision In determining whether the employee’s resignation was under coercion, Commissioner Williams said he simply could have waited to see what the employer did about the situation before resigning. “If (the employee) had not resigned after the meeting perhaps an approach other than dismissal might have been considered by (the employer),” Commissioner Williams said. It was ruled that whilst understanding his employment was “precarious”, the employee was not forced to resign, but voluntarily exercised a choice to do so. Commissioner Williams dismissed the unfair dismissal application. Implications for employers Employers must be wary of the fine line between forced resignation and, in the context of serious allegations, subtly suggesting an employee make a decision regarding ongoing employment. Any pressure to resign should be avoided, instead allowing the employee to make their own decision free of perceived coercion. For further advice about themes covered in this case summary, feel free to contact THA by email to Merv Saltmarsh ER Business Improvement at merv@tha.asn.au or call direct on 0407869924. Members can also have access to all of our services and much more, including the member’s area of the website.
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Enquires? Contact Merv Saltmarsh Email merv@tha.asn.au or call (03) 6220 7305
experience weneedyour lifetime of A If you can taste the difference between a Merlot and a Malbec. Maybe your knowledge of local bush walks is way better than Google’s. And you’re good with people. There are hundreds of tourism and hospitality jobs you could be perfect for in Tasmania right now.
To find yours, sc an the QR code or visit: tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com.au
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INDUSTRY FEATURE: JOBS PORTAL
Tasmanian hospitality businesses are gearing up for a demanding summer season with locals heading out in droves and the state opening its borders to all interstate visitors. Many are looking for staff to fill positions ahead of the expected rush leading into and post the Christmas and New Year festivities. The new online community for industry jobs and training, www.tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com.au, has been popular with industry employers and some businesses have enjoyed immediate success in connecting with job seekers on the platform within days of it launching. D’entrecasteaux Channel operator Grandvewe Cheeses and Hartshorn Distillery had vacancies for positions with its cellar door. Chief Executive Officer, Diane Rae, was in the process of advertising these positions when she heard about the new platform. “There’s never been a place that focusses just on hospitality and tourism jobs,” Diane said. “So, I thought it was worth giving it a go. We’ve used other job websites in the past but not had great results.”
Ms Rae believes having the dedicated portal for industry jobs makes it easier to connect with better qualified jobseekers, helping zero in on those wanting to work in hospitality and having the right attributes for the work. “We advertised two positions on the tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com.au website and almost immediately had responses from job seekers in the local area. “This platform is suited to the types of jobs that the industry has on offer, where other websites aren’t as suitable”. Ms Rae found it quite easy to load a job – just a simple cut and paste with a small tweak. And, she’ll be using tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com. au again. “Yes. We’ve got some other jobs to advertise soon,” she says. With an advertising campaign encouraging Tasmanian jobseekers to visit www.tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com.au for available jobs in full swing, there’s never been a better time for hospitality businesses to advertise vacancies. It’s free, fast and easy.
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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Amajor focus of the THA’s workforce development team is to promote awareness of careers in hospitality to all students in years 9-12 and to develop and promote pathway opportunities for those students who make the decision that
“It was kind of two streams, one to get students cooking from scratch and enjoying cooking and also expanding their taste profiles, because some aren’t used to eating a wide range of foods either,” Sutton said. “The second one was to create a careers pathway, give them some skills, including customer service skills and get them work ready. “It’s proven very successful. I’ve been there for seven years and my students go up to Rosny and they do really, really well.” Sutton first set up a program that runs from years to 7 to 10, and is constantly adapting to current trends within the industry. “I do look at food trends, for examplewe did a food truck special, a unit which I’ve shared with quite a few schools around Australia where students had to work in teams to produce a product and sell. “We didn’t actually have the trucks but we did that kind of food. “We’ve done Asian street food and we do indigenous foods. It’s kind of stretching their imagination and trying to get them to think outside the square. “At the moment the students are doing foods from around the world and they’ve all picked a country and brainstormed dishes that they wanted to make. One of them was a Korean hot dog which when I looked at it I went “oh my god” but we made it and it was spectacular.” Aside from the four year program, students also have the opportunity to do the Hospitality and Tourism package of learning in Grades nine and 10.
hospitality is the career for them. In the past 12 months we have:
• Delivered awareness sessions to over 1000 students, from 55 classes in 27 different state, independent and catholic schools across Tasmania • Attended 18 school career events • Presented six Hospitality Showcases allowing more than 600 students to learn from young industry leaders and practice hands on skills in a bar, barista, front of house and kitchen setting • Supported 48 students in our Hospitality Pathway program, many of them aspiring young women keen to become chefs Clarence High has been an active participant in THA programs and offers students in years 9 and 10 the opportunity to enrol in a hospitality specific Package of Learning. Clarence is our first ‘school in focus’, a series of articles which will celebrate and share the great things schools are doing to help nurture the future hospitality workforce. Seven years ago Amanda Sutton joined Clarence High with a vision of creating a café culture in a high school. Coming from a “big picture” background, Sutton set the wheels in motion for what is now a program with a defined pathway and aim.
Workforce Development Enquires? Contact Roger O’Meagher Email: roger@tha.asn.au or call (03) 6220 7306
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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
This enables them to learn, experience and chat with people directly involved within the industry. “It’s massive because it’s actually meeting real people out there doing stuff. Roger came in and did a cocktail session with my hospitality and tourism class,” Sutton said. “It’s just the confidence to talk to adults, the confidence to try new things, confidence to experiment… they can say they know what is out there in the real world. “They now know what a mixologist is, they’ve never thought about doing anything like that before, but now they’re all into it using a cocktail shaker. “We just had Erica [Sheldon-Collins] from the THA come in last week as well, she talked to my students about the industry and it was really good. She answered lots and lots of questions
that they had about finding jobs, getting careers in the industry, what’s expected on the resume, what skills are expected.” Sutton hopes it all leads to her students becoming the next wave of talent within the hospitality ranks. “Students are unsure going from high school to college to TAFE to wherever, I think we need to really work hard in Tasmania of making sure those pathways are very clear and giving them opportunities to actually get out there and do work experience. “They need to know what to do and how to get there and I think if anything, that’s kind of been my mission, to open their eyes to possibilities and to get them working in a great industry which is growing in Tasmania at an enormous rate.”
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Hospitality Review: December 2021 25
MEDIA MARKETING GROUP
Shop Tasmania is a growing online marketplace for Tasmanian businesses. Developed by our Hobart based team, the site was built to give local businesses an easy entry into the digital marketplace to showcase their products, expertise and offers online, as well as expanding their online presence - which is essential in today’s market. However, Shop Tasmania is not purely an online concept. Our friendly team is local and enjoy meeting business owners in person. That’s why we appreciate the opportunity towork inpartnership with the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) and why we are offering all THA members 12 months free on the Shop Tasmania website. Our representatives are enjoying attending THA events and getting to know other members and partners. We’d also like to let you know that Shop Tasmania offers the opportunity for inexpensive branded television commercials for partnered businesses, something many are specifically signing up for.
Television commercials are often seen as too expensive to produce and run, but not with our Shop Tasmania plan. But that’s not all we can offer. Our representatives are happy to give helpful marketing advice outside the Shop Tasmania brand. The marketing landscape has grown over the years as new opportunities continue to become available – including on-demand television, social media and Google AdWords. It can be daunting to understand what advertising options are best for your business, but we’re more than happy to help. With years of marketing expertise, and a full inhouse team of creatives, editors and web developers, we can assist in all areas of business marketing and production. Feel free to give us a call or ask about our partnership at the next THA event. We’d love to learn about your business and advise you on how to make the most of the marketing opportunities available.
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Minister for Sport and Recreation JANE HOWLETT
EDITORIAL
Increased funding forTasmanian racing industry as female participation continues to rise The Tasmanian Liberal Government continues to back Tasmania’s racing industry, and as Minister for Racing, I was pleased to recently announce that Tasracing has brought forward a proposed code funding increase by six months to 1 January, 2022. The decision to increase code funding by 4.3 per cent was taken given the strong financial performance of the organisation in the 2020-21 financial year. Based on this strong financial footing, the industry is set for a period of further growth. The company reported a total comprehensive profit last financial year of $6 million thanks to record turnover and increased Race Field Fee revenue. The funding increase means a four per cent – or $1.3 million on an annual basis – increase in stakes across the three codes. Prior to the introduction of the increase, Tasracing will consult directly with the industry about its specific detail. The Tasmanian racing industry is critical for the State, generating close to $185 million in value- added contribution to the Tasmanian economy. Almost 6000 people are involved in the industry as employees, participants or volunteers, with nearly two thirds based in regional or rural Tasmania. Tasmanian racing is seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of female participants, especially in the thoroughbred jockey ranks and as Minister for Women as well, this is very encouraging.
For many years the racing industry was male dominated, especially when it came to jockeys. In fact, until 1979, the Australian racing clubs had not allowed women to become fully fledged jockeys. Tasmania has had many trailblazer female jockeys, including Bev Buckingham and Robyn Clarke. In 1980 and on her fourth ride Bev Buckingham rode Limit Man to an easy win, becoming the first woman to ride a winner in Tasmania. There are currently 13 female jockeys in Tasmania, which represents 50 per cent of the total riding numbers. Nine of the 13 jockeys are currently apprentices and are learning their craft. Apprentices Codi Jordan and Erica Byrne Burke are currently first and second on the Tasmanian Jockeys Premiership. Women still comprise approximately 35 per cent of all currently registered Jockeys in Australia, but that number is sure to rise as more and more women are signing on for jockey apprenticeships. The Racing industry is one of a small number of sports that does not have a gender pay gap and the Government is committed to providing adequate resources and facilities to continue to increase in female participation.
Pictured: Codi Jordan
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