Hospitality Today column

Hospitality must take up the challenge

The Minister of Commerce and Small Business, Hon Lianne Dalziel, has announced a new broad review of regulation designed to make life easier for business. The review is designed to:

• introduce fast-track mechanisms for change
• make life easier for businesses where multiple regulatory frameworks intercept
• improve Government’s own processes for monitoring impact of regulations
• conduct sector studies, starting with food and beverage, wine, retailing and hospitality

It is the latter which provides an opportunity for the hospitality industry to identify how regulations could be simplified, made more consistent, made practical, and easier from an operational perspective.

The Minister and the Government are to be congratulated on this initiative but it is up to the industry to identify problems and solutions, and challenge the Government to deliver on their commitment. The hospitality industry is one of the most regulated sectors which is highlighted by the recent Guide to Hospitality Legislation produced by the Hospitality Standards Institute in association with the Hospitality Association which has over 150 pages documenting over 30 acts and regulations which impact on the operation of a hospitality business.

Can we find a way to simplify the confusion over Easter at the restrictions imposed by the Sale of Liquor Act, the Shop Trading Hours Act, and the Holidays Act, in such a way that these 3 pieces of legislation are consistent, easily understood, and practical and sensible to both operators, their staff, and the public?

Is it necessary to have different inspectors seeking the industry’s compliance on food safety, fire safety, the Sale of Liquor Act, Building Act, and Gambling Act, which all entail someone visiting a licensed premise?

Is it possible that the gaming harm minimisation requirements for operators and staff with a TAB outlet could be the same for those operating gaming machines?

There must be many other practical examples that industry can put forward to the Minister of Commerce with reasonable expectations of making life easier for everyone and therefore freeing up business operators’ time to focus on the business rather than compliance!

The hospitality industry has been given an opportunity and the Hospitality Association has been invited to work with the Government in facilitating input. I would welcome any practical suggestions which can be put to the Minister in a positive and constructive way. This is a challenge the hospitality industry cannot afford to miss.

Bruce H Robertson
Chief Executive
Hospitality Association of NZ

19 May 2006
Ref: h:hr6r6058.doc