How Fyles alcohol announcement let down Hospitality NT

The Fyles government admitted this week it had broken a promise to consult widely before changing grog laws.

The age old saying ‘a week is a long time in politics’ played out yet again for the local hospitality industry.

Last week we were hosting numerous Ministers at our events and finalising the year with our AGM and annual charity lunch. Representations to Ministers were greeted with ‘steady as she goes’. There would be no surprises! Only to be completely bamboozled by a Government seeking to ‘finish strong’ their parliamentary year.

This latest flurry of last-minute policy on the run activity – whereby it wasn’t even clear what region, businesses or workers were impacted at the time of the announcement, as those seemingly less important details were still being ‘worked through’.

This capped off a roller coaster of a year for our businesses right across the Territory marked by tragedy, increasing lawlessness and knee jerk policy decisions.

We know we won’t always get our way. The issues Territorians and those elected to govern us face are complex, deep rooted and difficult to fix.

All we ask is that when decisions are being made, however rapid, impacted businesses and their workers are engaged in the process and aren’t just given decrees from a seemingly know-it-all government.

No one holds a monopoly on good ideas and it is only through coming together – community, industry, government and other stakeholders, can we find sensible, practical and realistic outcomes on the problems we are facing. That’s just common sense, good practice and good governance.

A government that proclaims to govern for all Territorians must be open and transparent and engage with affected Territorians ahead of making decisions otherwise the words ring hollow.

Our industry feels let down.

They feel like all the good faith engagement and work through processes like the Riley Review, the 12-month technical review, the 3-year review of the 2019 Liquor Act, our support for the independent Liquor Commission, all the regular meetings with government and stakeholders, participation of venues at numerous Liquor Accords all counts for nought if our leaders make snap decisions and outsource the need to find balance to difficult issues to unelected officials.

A recent industry survey we conducted showed that while 90 per cent of our industry expect crime and lawlessness to stay the same or deteriorate, 80 per cent of those same respondents expect to maintain or grow their businesses in 2024.

This shows us that we look to the future with positivity. But positivity only translates to confidence and investment when we can get certainty.

Certainty isn’t keeping everything the exact same forever. Certainty is being involved in the process when things need to change and help landing them in a practical spot.

In the new year we will be releasing our Hospitality Pledge and seeking all Members of Parliament and all candidates seeking office in August 2024 take the Hospo Pledge so that our businesses and workers can have confidence in a strong, safe and prosperous Territory moving forward.

The Hospo Pledge is being finalised with consultation with members ongoing, but safe to say the need for certainty, genuine engagement and real consultation will be its cornerstone.

We will continue to call out sleight of hand when we see it as our industry, our workers, and the community we work and live in deserve better.

Alex Bruce is the Hospitality NT chief executive officer