Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA), Australia’s peak body for restaurants, cafes
and catering businesses, states that the Albanese Government’s budget has left
gastronomy in Australia by the wayside with very few initiatives for hospitality.
R&CA CEO Mr Suresh Manickam said the budget was crucial to ensure the viability
of small businesses in hospitality, as they face energy costs spiralling out of control, a
skilled shortage crisis and turbulent economic headwinds from volatile consumer
sentiment.
“The Budget provided an opportunity for the Federal Government to demonstrate their
care and support for Australia’s hospitality industry, but the announcements tonight
have overlooked the restaurant and catering sector for another year. This year’s
Budget leaves crumbs on an otherwise empty plate for Australia’s restaurant and
catering sector.”
The Albanese Government budget is a missed opportunity to assist a sector that is
already in pain. Of concern, tonight’s announcements are not commensurate with the
packages handed out to other industries. Unfortunately, it is the case that nobody in
our sector feels better off today than they were 2 years ago.
“Whilst the energy rebate is welcome, it does not provide a sustainable pathway
forward, especially in the backdrop of rampant energy price hikes over the past couple
of years. We have considerable concerns that when the rebate ends, it will add to
inflation.”
“Whilst the instant asset write-off is welcome, it assumes that businesses are in a
financial position to purchase assets to begin with – which is not the case in
hospitality.”
“The announcements in training and education are welcome, but do not go to
addressing the massive skills shortage within our sector. It is disappointing that other
sectors received substantially more in terms of education and training than our sector,
all the more so given we have been the most vocal. The need to reskill and retrain a
sector that has not yet returned to pre-covid employment remains paramount.”