Regional equity in new liquor licensing fees

The Hotel Industry Association says the South Australian Government has done the right thing by country pubs and clubs by revising its new liquor licensing fees.

The State Government revised the new fees down from $2,500 a year to $700 for traders open until 2:00am (ACST) and $1,400 for those until 3:00am.

Association state president Ian Horne says the new fees will still hit some country venues but the blow is significantly reduced.

"I have to say it's taken a lot of us in the industry by surprise to the extent that they've slashed some of the late-night fees ... a number of smaller hotels, nightclubs and bars were looking at shutting early to avoid the fees, they may not have to now," he said.

"Whether you're in the Eyre Peninsula, the Yorke Peninsula, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, you're going to be treated exactly the same as Unley, the CBD, North Adelaide, West Lakes and that's one of the burdens that unfortunately no-one seems to be able to differentiate between country and regional pressures and metropolitan pressures."

The general manager of Clubs SA, Helen Martin, says the reduction in fees is welcome but it is still a burden, particularly for regional clubs.

"Naturally we'd like to see clubs not being charged anything at all, they're there for the community, serving their members and local community, why charge them at all?" she said.

"So that would be the ultimate goal but the Government's in trouble, it needs to prop up some money in its budget, so obviously they've got to raise that income somehow."

Source: ABC News, 13 June 2012