12 February 2013

The jet has landed but the whining goes on

| johnboy
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The Australian Hotels Association is still carrying on that people had fun at the Multicultural Festival without paying their members for the privilege.

“As the leading voice for hospitality and tourism in the ACT, the AHA-ACT welcomes events and festivals that attract tourists to Canberra and boost the local economy,” AHA-ACT Branch General Manager Brad Watts said.

“But industry does not support an unbalanced, unfair approach to responsible service of alcohol standards. Licensed venues must comply with strict RSA rules and all staff at licensed venues must undergo costly training to gain RSA certificates.

“There can’t be double-standards applied to RSA – there must be a level playing field for alcohol regulation in Canberra.”

AHA-ACT received several reports over the weekend about irresponsible service of alcohol following industry’s call for the annual festival to be ‘alcohol-free’.

“The AHA-ACT was informed that alcohol was allegedly being served to minors and discounted spirits were sold to patrons during the festival – this is unacceptable!” Mr Watts said.

“Industry repeats its call for the festival to be alcohol free if store-holders can’t satisfy the same requirements as all licensees.”

Mr Watts also urged authorities to conduct better consultation with licensed venues in Civic for future events as many licensees were not informed about logistics or security surrounding the festival.

“Safety concerns were also raised by licensees regarding overcrowding and fire safety,” Mr Watts said.

Let’s see, a $90 training fee for a staff member who will put in many months or years of service (most of them only hired if they’ve already completed the useless course) versus a three day community event.

At the end of the day everyone was fine with behaviour at the event. It would be nice if the AHA would come to the party. It’s not as if their members are without sin on the RSA front.

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Oh dear, people were drinking alcohol in Civic without paying their money to the s***holes, i mean pubs and clubs.

Suck on it AHA.

MrMagoo said :

It would seem to me that the AHA cries foul whenver it is perceived something isn’t in their best interests. I’d be more concerned about hte falling numbers of members and the reasons why people no longer go to clubs anymore than worrying about the fesitival.

My guess is they are a bit stuck. 1) They probably have to kick up a bit of a fuss or their members may ask WTF they are doing? Basically, I imagine they are their exactly to cry foul ‘whenver it is perceived something isn’t in their best interests’? And 2) Perhaps they think *one* of the reasons people don’t go to clubs (on this particluar weekend) anymore *is* this festival? Only guesses! 🙂

Oh boohoo AHA.

So you didn’t get any money from this extravaganza?

Excellent, let’s have more it.

It is only to be expected that he represents his members, noting most aren’t in Garema Place.

They’re right though.

And we should just drop the RSA thing altogether. Replace it with “don’t be a dick”.

The members I know in Civic were happy about the increased trade.

I’d also like to point out I held a liquor license for a fundraising event late last year. We applied for the not-for-profit permit, which involved a lot of paperwork, and we were going to be provided with the stock-standard not-for-profit hours. I already had my RSA, so I convinced ORS to extend the time we could serve alcohol from midnight until 2am.

From my experience, therefore, the not-for-profit approval is risk based. I only wish licensed businesses could enjoy a truly risk-based regime, rather than something which pushes patrons to clubs.

I can’t work out if it is ‘nanny state’ or just whining from those that didn’t derive any benefit from the festival?? As stated it is 1 weekend a year and the Police (apparently their opinion carries some weight) have stated behaviour was good. I note that a number of people were ejected from Manuka last week for being drunk at the Cricket, surely the RSA rules applied there??

It would seem to me that the AHA cries foul whenver it is perceived something isn’t in their best interests. I’d be more concerned about hte falling numbers of members and the reasons why people no longer go to clubs anymore than worrying about the fesitival.

I was given a shot of honey infused tequila and paid nought for it.

As far as I’m concerned this occurrence was ‘alcohol-free’ and I support this 100%.

$50 for the RSA through Aveling.

It was interesting speaking to staff at AHA member establishments near the festival. They’d had a flat chat weekend as well, it seems. Maybe its the members that aren’t near the location that are crying the loudest?

Devil_n_Disquiz12:40 pm 12 Feb 13

Do you want a tissue, Watts? Geez..harden up. Its one weekend out of the whole year. And quite frankly, as Johnboy alluded to, people who live in glasshouses……..

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