MORE than 60 hospitality workers in the ACT are losing jobs every day, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. 

The data shows that the ACT’s hospitality industry has lost another 900 jobs in the past fortnight, with a total of 3670 job losses since the coronavirus restrictions began. That’s equal to 24.8 per cent of the ACT’s hospitality workforce. 

Because of this, the hospitality industry is urging the ACT government and health authorities to permit one patron per 2sq m by October.

The general manager of the Australian Hotels Association’s ACT branch, Anthony Brierley, says typically, revenue made in the October to December quarter provides sufficient cash reserves to tide the industry through the quieter months. 

Instead, he says, businesses are preparing for the financial cliff coming at the start of October.

“Costs are resuming and increasing exponentially. JobKeeper is being reduced. Many businesses will be paying payroll tax and commercial rates again. Banks will demand that loans start to be repaid. Many rent deferrals will cease,” he says. 

“Despite the resumption of these costs, patronage numbers are stuck at 25 per cent of normal. These job destroying, revenue-decimating restrictions need to be eased for the industry to survive.” 

Mr Brierley says the industry fears that failure to ease restrictions by October will mean hundreds of hospitality businesses will become insolvent at the start of 2021. 

“Our industry is covid safe and ready to open to more customers. All we are waiting on is the tick of approval. It will cost the government nothing, but will save thousands of jobs over the  next six months,” he says.