Property Council calls for action on staff shortages as hotel quarantine ends

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The Property Council of Australia has called on the NSW Government to give further support to the hotel sector in order to tackle staff shortages, following the decision to end hotel quarantine.

Property Council’s NSW Executive Director Luke Achterstraat said although he welcomed the decision to end hotel quarantine, further support was needed for the industry to recover properly.

“What the hotels industry is telling us is that the last two years have made a significant impact to the sectors economy, and they need help in order to adjust to those changes,” Mr Achterstraat said.

“People migrating from cities to live in regional areas, migrant workers returning home, COVID and lockdowns, has meant there is no affordable accommodation for hospitality workers which is compounding staffing shortages.

Mr Achterstraat said it was time for the NSW Government to attract the older and younger generation into the industry.

“The NSW Government should seek to create a program to appeal to mature workers to hospitality through TAFE courses, subsidised RSAs and back to work courses,” he said.

“We also need to attract more school leavers to hospitality. This can be achieved through promoting hospitality and Certificate IV at HSC level which most schools do not currently have available.”

Mr Achterstraat said he would also call on government support to incentivise skilled workers to choose Australia.

“The NSW and Commonwealth Governments must partner with hotel operators and identify what critical skilled and semi-skilled migrants are needed most, governments need to provide some solutions and stick to a plan.”

Media contact: Aidan Green | E [email protected]