By Annette Shailer
Last week’s minimum wage pay rise is expected to raise the price of food and beverages in pubs, clubs and bottle shops across Australia, with the AHA describing it as another blow to the industry.
“While interest rates, fuel and grocery prices continue to increase, forcing a decrease in consumer discretionary spending, the [pay rise] represents a double whammy for those tourism and hospitality operators having to pass on increased wage rates,” said AHA NSW chief executive, Sally Fielke.
Laundy Group director, Craig Laundy, sympathised with those struggling with increased living costs, but said small businesses will find the increase hard to handle.
“I think the salary increase was excessive and it will make life tougher as an employer, but I also understand that people are doing it tough out there,” he said
“I wish the Government would spend less time focusing on binge drinking and other social politics, and more time on telling me as major employer the direction in which they are heading.”
The pay increase will take the minimum wage to $543.78 per week or $14.31 per hour.
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