Additional support is needed to keep the hospitality industry afloat once JobKeeper comes to an end next March, says the Accommodation Association.
The industry body welcomed yesterday’s extension of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy to March 2021 but said further measures such as an extension in banking relief measures and action on the Rental Mandatory Code of Conduct was needed as further measures of support.
New South Wales is due to decide later this year on a Code of Conduct for short-term rental operators however in the meantime, has bestowed powers on building management and strata corporations prohibiting a non-primary place of residence from being listed on a short-term rental website.
Accommodation Association CEO, Dean Long, said the extension of JobKeeper was exactly what the industry had been asking for.
“The policy settings around the realignment of JobKeeper with JobSeeker are right in terms of incentivising people to work while providing the economic lifeline to keep businesses afloat as we learn to live with COVID,” Long said.
“While we have already done everything we can to limit the impact on our teams, our workforce has already halved. The JobKeeper extension is a welcome first step but our industry will see further job losses and business closures without additional support including the extension of banking relief measures and the Rental and Leasing Mandatory Code of Conduct.”
Long implored the three levels of government to continue working together cohesively to ensure the long-term survival of the hospitality and tourism industries.
“Since the beginning of March 2020, our income has decreased by more than 75%. Even if the flattening-the-curve strategy is successful and we have open borders, our expected recovery in March 2021 will only be 50% of pre COVID-19 income.
“These measures will support an industry which has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and will ensure our sector can rebound in 2021 and beyond.”