Tourism businesses cry for help

BUSINESSES CALL FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AS AS ONE-OFF PAYMENT WON’T COVER ‘A WEEK’S RENT, WAGES’

TOURISM and hospitality businesses say the downturn caused by interstate border closures is pushing them to ruin.

Publican Douglas O’Neil from Hobart’s The Duke Hotel says he woke up and cried recently after looking at his bank statement.

“I didn’t know how I was going to pay staff,” he said.

Staff numbers at The Duke have fallen from a total of 25 to nine and Mr O’Neil is taking on a full-time job to stay afloat.

“The only grant available is a one-off $5000 payment, which is not even a week of rent and wages.”

PUBLICAN Douglas O’Neil from Hobart’s popular The Duke Hotel knows only too well how tough it is to be in the tourism industry amid the downturn in trade caused by interstate lockdowns.

“Three weeks ago I woke up and cried looking at the bank statement because I didn’t know how I was going to pay staff,” he said.

A lack of patrons from interstate is causing an exodus of staff, financial trouble for owners and venues going under due to a lack of government support, he said.

Staff numbers at The Duke have fallen from 25 to nine and Mr O’Neil is taking on a full-time job to keep the wolf from the door.

“We’ve seen a massive drop in revenue being a tourismfacing business,” Mr O’Neil said.

“There’s just no tourists coming in. I had a table of eight late last night, whereas normally I’d have 40 to 50 people in for dinner on a Saturday night.

“The only grant available is a one-off $5000 payment, which is not even a week of rent and wages.

“A lot of business owners are just walking away at the moment and I see a lot of businesses up for sale and a lot of people asking for jobs where there are no jobs.”

Labor leader Rebecca White said although the state had no cases and was not subject to lockdowns, businesses were suffering from a downturn in trade and a lack of effective government support.

“Right now there are very serious concerns about the viability of businesses and the ongoing employment for workers because of the lack of visitation to the state,” she said. “The government has said that they will respond to support businesses, if and when it’s necessary – it is now necessary

“The government have allocated $300m in this state budget, which hasn’t been put towards any particular responsibility.

“It’s sitting there ready to be used in response to Covid.

“We’re saying to the government, now’s the time to use that $300m, draw down on some of it, to keep people employed, to keep these businesses open.”

Ms White said the hardships the hospitality and tourism industry was suffering was at odds with the rosy picture painted in the budget.

Liberal Minister Michael Ferguson said Tasmania had the most generous business support mechanism in the country.

“We’ve just unveiled and commenced applications for our business support package,” Mr Ferguson said.

“Labor only pretend to care, we really do – and we’ll be taking feedback through that process.”