A Griffith club manager has joined the calls for a cap on the nation's beer tax as clubs continue to recover from the knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Australian Hotels Association and the Brewers Association of Australia have called on the federal government to freeze an increase to the beer tax from August 3, with the organisations claiming pubs and clubs are still reeling from the economic impacts of COVID-19 restrictions and shutdowns.
Coro Club general manager Roly Zappacosta has backed the calls to cap the tax and said it was "probably not the right time" to increase the tax given the economic situation many hospitality businesses find themselves in.
Under the increase, beer prices would need to increase by approximately 20 cents across the board - taking an average schooner of Great Northern at the Coro Club from $5.50 to $5.70.
"A lot of people aren't back to normal yet, they're still doing it tough [and] I know a lot of our members are doing it tough," Mr Zappacosta said.
"February it went up approximately 40 to 50 cents a litre, so to go up again - that's 20 cents a schooner we will have to put our beer up.
"If they could freeze the tax for this even just this time - I know it's only 20 cents a schooner but you times that by everyone having a drink on a regular basis, 2 or 3 beers a day, you're looking at serious dollars by the end of the year."
There's a lot of people that still aren't going out quite yet so we need to put a cap on it and let us breathe.
- Coro Club general manager Roly Zappacosta
Mr Zappacosta said the industry needs time to "let us breathe" and attempt to work their way out of the situation restrictions have put them in, with an increase just adding extra pressure to pubs and clubs.
"It will be tough on the hotel and clubs, we've gone through hell as you could say," Mr Zappacosta said.
"We're still restricted in a lot of ways in what we can do so we're still not back to full capacity with our clubs - there's still no entertainment on, we can [hold entertainment] but they can't get up and dance ... we're not back to full capacity and throwing an extra tax on us again would hurt us and a lot of the smaller venues.
"Even ourselves - we've got a new restaurant which has still taken time to recover because people are still scared to go out - this virus has taken everyone by storm so all venues are in the same boat - there's a lot of people that still aren't going out quite yet so we need to put a cap on it and let us breathe."
Australian Hotels Association CEO Stephen Ferguson said the increase comes at the wrong time as the industry looks to restore half a million jobs impacted by the pandemic.
"This year, it's the last thing struggling pubs and their patrons need," Mr Ferguson said.
"Increasing the tax only makes life harder for everyone, while a freeze would see the government continue to collect the same rate of tax on beer and spirits as it does today."
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Brewers Association of Australia CEO Brett Heffernan said there was "no logical reason" drinkers should be paying more for a beer as the country tries to move out of the economic impacts.
"We appreciate politicians of every persuasion are urging people to get down to their local for a beer to support local jobs," Mr Heffernan said.
"However, the taxman will be there, from August 3, imposing the biggest beer tax ever.
"The Federal Government has the opportunity to stop the increase as the hospitality sector recovers from COVID-19. We seek its support to do so."
Data from the Brewers Association of Australia indicates the nation pays the fourth-highest beer tax in the industrialised world at $2.26 per litre, with the organisation calling the government to follow the route of the United Kingdom and Germany, who have frozen or deferred their beer tax.
Mr Zappacosta suggested the increase could be looked at again later in the year as the industry prepares for the next six month increase to the tax, but at the moment the increase might be too much for clubs.
"If it does go up we would have to put ours up as well and 20 cents a schooner would be tough this time of year in the current climate," Mr Zappacosta said.
"Next year it might be different, but I think now put a cap on it, leave it as it is and let everyone breathe."