By Andy Young
The Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA) has announced the establishment of the South East Australia branch of the association, which will be known as ALSA SEA.
The new branch of the association will provide ALSA’s specialised retail packaged liquor support and representation for stores in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
ALSA CEO Terry Mott told TheShout: “ALSA identified the opportunity to provide direct and focused, specialised retail packaged liquor representation in Victoria, South Australia and also in Tasmania which has experienced a significant growth in retail packaged liquor stores over the last 13 years and so the concept for a new association was born.
“With ALSA’s focus specifically on retail packaged liquor issues and professional development, ALSA SEA can now provide those stores the additional benefits of membership in our national body.
“ALSA received great interest for the proposed association from key retailers Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. The ALSA SEA Committee has been formed to provide local/State input, guidance and feedback for all matters affecting the interests of the retail liquor sector in those States.”
The ALSA SEA Committee will have Tasmania’s Dominic Baker as its president and Mott added that the formation of ALSA SEA, strengthens the association’s position as the national body for the retail liquor industry.
He said: “The formation of ALSA SEA means that a significantly increased range of retail packaged liquor stores will now benefit from ALSA’s representation on issues that impact their business such as regulatory, workplace relations and business issues. They will also have access to the extensive range of membership benefits and services such as ALSA-Train on-line training program and the ALSA Retail Insights website knowledge database, in addition to the LSA Hotline for IR & legal advice and the highly valued ALSA insurance program designed specifically for packaged liquor operations.
“ALSA has been working hard to provide professional career development opportunities for young people including the recently announced ALSA Young Retailer of the Year Award.
“ALSA SEA is also represented on the ALSA National Board to have input to national policy and regulatory issues, and will receive media, regulatory and submission support from ALSA.”