The Primary Responsibilities of Queensland Hotel Association
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As Queensland Hotel Association, we are deeply disappointed by the submission the Bill of Tackling Alcohol Fueled Violence Legislation Amendment that was passed on the 17th of February 2015. It is legal right to make an appeal against the new bill passed by Queensland Parliament. Queensland Hotel Association is an organization that represents hotel and hospitality industries, theme parks, accommodation service providers, casinos and recreational centers. Since our inception in 1885, as an organization, we have always supported our members and always put the interest, so our members are a priority. We have been able to serve the interests of Queensland hotel owners as a collective.
The primary responsibilities of Queensland Hotel Association are to take care of the pleas of hoteliers. As an organization we making a complaint of the stringent rules that came with the amendment, this official submission is meant to address the measures that are yet to be introduced into the hotel industries. The members of the organizations feel that the regulations are too inhibiting to the standard operation of business in the country. Our primary complaints lie on the following pertinent issues that will inhibit the operation of our clients' businesses:
Early bars and club closing hours
The regulation on lockout after 1 am in the night.
Denial of license to operate sell take-away liquor after 10 pm.
Denial to sell rapid drinking alcohol (shots) after midnight.
All the above regulations are too strict, and it inhibits the operation of our members premises. Our members feel that the new regulations do not auger well with the freedom of clubs and hotels to operate and conduct business in an ample manner. The stated laws above are not business friendly in any manner and for this reason as an organization, we are calling for the scrapping of the regulations. Another way to handle this quagmire we would like to request that a committee is formed that would have a seating with the Queensland Hotel Association lawyers and board representatives for reaching a middle ground to settle the matter.
It is the prerogative of the parliament to be impartial and considerate of the individuals running a business in the hotel and accommodation industry. It is important that the government understands that maintaining the expenditures of running the businesses in the hotel industries are highly expensive. The new regulations impede most of the business entities in the sector from eking a profit from the firm with the above set of new regulations.
Hours of Operation
The most disturbing part of the new regulations is the reduction in the number of hours of operation. The daily number of hours of operation have been cut short by 6 hours. Here is where the major complaint arises from, basically this reduces the profit made by business enterprises on a single night by half.
Meeting the costs of the rent paid to landlords owning the space leased would be difficult for many businesses as most clubs operate in high-end cities in Queensland. The fact is that many club premises would run short of funds due to the inability to manage the facilities. The hotel industry is one of the biggest earners for the government in the form of taxes due to how highly tax the industry is. Managing the high taxation and cost of license renewal by hoteliers will be a challenge, for a fact, the government stands to lose money obtained from taxes. As an organization representing the demands of hoteliers and hospitality service providers, we feel that we are stuck between a rock and a hard surface.
We would like to suggest an increase in the number of operation by4 hours. The closure of business premises at 5 am in the morning would be favorable for the businesses of our members. It is important that the parliament finds a way to review the legislation and corrections should be made on the proposed stipulated number of operations.
We would appreciate if the parliament will find a way to reach a middle ground with our representatives. It is important that these two groups of officials come to an agreement to reach a unanimous agreement that would see to it that our clients operate their ventures without the worry of incurring losses.
Lock Out After 1 AM
The standard way of operation of our businesses premises is to allow all customers into the facilities within the designated time limits. The limitation of customer entry into the business premises after 1 am in the morning is too stringent for the premises. Disallowing the entry of new customers into the premises is even difficult for the business owners.
The fact is that limitation of the number of clients into the firm delimits the business. Profit making is the core reason for the operation of hotel and accommodation business, eking profit in a capitalist world with stringent regulation on the business operation will just be but a dream.
Apart from offering services as a profit making mechanism for businesses in the hotel and accommodation industry, it is also our role to please and satisfy the needs of our customers. Remember, the customer is always right. The regulations limit the freedom of human beings; every individual has the right to be wherever they want at whatever time they want as long as they are not breaking the rules of the land.
The limitation of the lockout of customers as from 1 am in the morning should be scrapped out. We would like to see that this regulation is erased, and the usual operation of business premises should not be tampered.
Denial of License to Sales of Take-Away Liquor
Many customers prefer to purchase a drink for later consumption in their homes or a place of their choice. A refusal to sales of take-home liquor past 10 pm is pushing the bar too high. As an organization, we feel that the rights of our members are being taken away. It is unclear how the sales of take-home liquor any different from allowing customers to consume to their fills at 1 am. The regulation can be stated as unreasonable, and it will not impact into reducing the violence that is fueled by alcohol. It is a fact that not all customers who drink up to Lee hours of the night are violent people, it is rather senseless to say that the individuals involved in violence in most nights are alcoholics leaving the premises past 10 pm.
Violence is started off by a person with anger towards anybody with whom they share animosity, be it their spouse, neighbor, children or even workmates. It is always the individuals prerogative to commit such crimes; it is rather begrudgingly unfair to blame these activities to businesspeople operating hotel and accommodation facilities. The people involved in these offenses should be locked up for their crimes, and the blame should not be pushed to our clients, as an association of hoteliers, we would not take responsibility for the ill activities of any individuals committed outside the premises of our associates.
Denial of License to Sell Shots Past Midnight
Shits are rapid consumption liquor, most of the people in need a quick boost usually take shots before, in between or even when they are leaving the entertainment premises. This kind of drinks are the ones that bring in more cash than even the price of the bottle sold to the customer as a whole. The profit margin that business premises make will be reduced by a significant margin in the case of implementation of this rule.
Business premises have no control if a client needs to take a shot or not, it should be clear that as an organization, we are in the hospitality industry. Serving customers and attending to their needs is what we do, it is important that we can uphold our responsibilities with perfection. Shots sales are money makers for the hotel industry, the amount money paid in the form of taxes will be cut short leaving the government battling financial constraints.
The gravity of the matter does not come out clearly at this moment but later on the effects would be felt in a different sector of the economy. There is a need to find a middle ground or even a complete scrapping of the rules that are being introduced with the new amendment. It doesnt make sense to have all the above regulation in a bid to curb alcohol-fueled violence. The control of the hotel industry and introduction of new policies to monitor the business scene to control civilians is not a reasonable line of action.
The government and the Queensland Coalition for Action on Alcohol should figure out the new mechanism of controlling the alcohol consumption among civilians in Queens land. It is the prerogative of the Queensland Coalition for Action on Alcohol should find mechanisms of tackling alcohol fueled violence without infringing the operation of other businesses.
The hotel and accommodation industry upholds the regulations that are currently in operation. We ensure as an association that all our associates have a Liquor License, this documentation is a representation of how our associates oblige with the current regulations. The Queensland Hotel Association has Responsible Service of Alcohol; all our associates implement these rules. With the presence of RSA measure in our associate hotels, it would be rather unfair to enforce the rules stated above.
Our RSA policies entail enough staffing of workers at busy times, prevention of individuals to purchase drinks from different bars within the premises. Audible and visible inspection of clients on the level of intoxication by staff and patrons. All the above RSA measures have been working correctly in many of Queensland Hotel Associates; there has never been any complaints and management of intoxication of clients is always watched, it is important that the enforcing of these regulations should be put in place instead of the above-stated propositions from the new bill amendments.
References
Abc.net.au. 2016. Queensland passes Australia's toughest laws to curb alcohol-fuelled violence. [online] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2016/s4408852.htm [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Actiononalcohol.org.au. 2016. Queensland passes laws to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence +ADw-/title+AD4-HaCked +AFs PaYwand Defacer +AF0 KURDISH HACKER+ADw-DIV style+AD0AIg-DISPLAY: none+ACIAPgA8-xmp+AD4-. [online] Available at: http://actiononalcohol.org.au/queensland-passes-laws-to-tackle-alcohol-fuelled-violence/ [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Anon, 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/liquor-gaming/liquor/subscribe-newsletter/current [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Business.qld.gov.au. 2016. Overview of the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016 for licensees | Queensland Government. [online] Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/liquor-gaming/tackling-alcohol-fuelled-violence [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Business.qld.gov.au. 2016. Responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training | Queensland Government. [online] Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/liquor-gaming/liquor/training/rsa [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Business.qld.gov.au. 2016. Safe night precincts | Queensland Government. [online] Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/liquor-gaming/safe-night-out-strategy/safe-night-precincts?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=vision-6&utm_campaign=djag-may16-responsible-service&utm_term=&utm_content=ed-message [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Business.qld.gov.au. 2016. Use of ID scanners in licensed venues | Queensland Government. [online] Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/liquor-gaming/safe-night-out-strategy/id-scanners-licensed-venues [Accessed 10 May 2016].
Chronicle. 2016. 'Drink-safe' areas aim to curb alcohol-fuelled violence. [online] Available at: http://www.thechronicle.com.au/...
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