MGA Insurance Group declares Adelaide CBD too dangerous for visiting staff

A national company says it is refusing its interstate and regional employees CBD lodgings after a series of incidents convinced it Adelaide had become too dangerous.

A national business has pulled out of using Adelaide CBD hotels to host its interstate and regional workers following escalating anti-social and violent behaviour.

MGA Insurance Group, which has 37 offices around Australia, regularly invites its interstate and regional workers to Adelaide for training, but the company’s director has said now there is “too much risk” now in putting them up in CBD accommodation.

Groups of up to eight from the Dulwich-based company would stay in hotels, often on Frome St, during the night and were encouraged to “see the city of Adelaide”.

“We’ve had it for about seven or eight years and we’ve always been putting up our guys in the city,” MGA managing director Paul George said.

“It should be an exciting place to come and it still is, but we’ve found with this element (of violence) there’s too much risk.”

Paul George – Managing Director of MGA Insurance says the company will not have its employees stay in CBD hotels following multiple instances of anti-social behaviour. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The decision to pull out of the city, in favour of “more local” accommodation in Adelaide’s suburbs comes after two incidents where employees were targets of anti-social behaviour in the CBD about six months apart.

“The first time we heard about it, it was just some shouting across the street,” Mr George, 52, said of the first incident of harassment his employees reported.

But a confrontation in April of this year, where a young female employee, visiting from Clare, avoided a slap by “a group of young guys in the street” was the last straw for the company.

“It was just one of those situations that you don’t want anyone going through and especially someone who you’ve invited down to head office in Adelaide to have a training session.”

Mr George said the decision comes after he discovered violence and anti-social behaviour was “happening a lot out there” in the CBD.

“We’re probably not coming back to the city, I didn’t realise it was such an issue on such a scale.”

EXC Current AHA SA deputy chief executive Anna Moeller. Pic: Supplied.

Incoming AHA SA chief executive Anna Moeller said the behaviour in the CBD was “concerning”.

“There’s both a perception and reality of anti-social behaviour and violence,” Ms Moeller said.

“Policing alone simply has a tendency to move the problem and industry can’t carry the can alone.

“(Restricting) alcohol supply is a very blunt tool.”

But she said new efforts, where “a number of agencies are working together” have renewed optimism.

“A range of new strategies are being put in place and increased policing, people should take comfort in that.”

This comes after one of the city’s most popular pubs has been forced to double its security bill to combat escalating crime and anti-social behaviour, its leading businessman owner has revealed.

Strathmore Hotel publican David Basheer, whose high-profile family has been in hospitality for almost 100 years, said it had been “quite confronting” in recent months for his loyal patrons and dedicated staff.

“The past few months have been quite confronting for everyone,” he said.

“But the message that I have is that we’re really encouraged by the SA Police response now.

“We can see a path forward.”

Mr Basheer, 60, has spoken out as authorities move to quash rising alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour blighting Adelaide’s most popular areas, including around his pub.