The Accommodation Association of Australia has issued an urgent entreaty for Government consultation on the impact of border closures and travel restriction announcements on the accommodation sector of the industry. The Association, which represents almost 3,500 hotels, over 150,000 rooms and nearly 100,000 employees across Australia, is calling for State and Territory Governments to establish a Taskforce with industry to better manage impact of COVID decisions on businesses and events.
Friday’s announcement, by the Queensland Government, that it is cancelling Schoolies just three months out, is yet another example of a missed opportunity to get the balance right between protecting lives and protecting jobs, the Association says.
“It is absolutely critical that we get the balance right between protecting lives and protecting jobs and our ask is a simple one – Dear Government, can we please have some consultation?” said Accommodation Association CEO Dean Long.
“We need all Governments, State, Territory and Federal to release their decision making framework so that we can better prepare and protect the accommodation sector and we need to be consulted especially on decisions with long lead times such as the Schoolies decision in Queensland so that the decisions Governments are making incorporate the reality of businesses’ operational needs.
“Of course the immediate priority of Government is keeping people safe and protecting lives. We get that but we do need a far more practical and collaborative approach when it comes to the decision-making that impacts businesses, business owners and the people we employ. We need be working far more closely together to better plan for and manage future events, and mass gatherings that drive overnight stays and the solution is a taskforce.”
