Liquor Licensing

I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Youth on the subject of hospitality work opportunities.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The hospitality industry is favoured by many student workers because it is one of the few industries which have flexible enough working hours to fit around their studies. Under the government's new liquor licensing fee structure, many of these students who work long hours at venues which currently trade after 2am or 4am will lose valuable shifts or their jobs altogether. Future teachers, nurses, dentists and social workers, to name a few, who are trying to pay their own way through their studies are being penalised. My questions are:

1. Does the minister know how many young people are currently employed in licensed venues across the state?

2. Has he received any advice from YACSA, his own advisory body, or similar body, on how this is going to impact on these workers?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:36): I thank the honourable member for her very important question about work opportunities in the hospitality sector. In terms of her first question about the number of young people or students, I suppose, who are in this workforce, I would have to take that part of the question on notice. I think that might more appropriately be directed to Mr Kenyon, the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills in the other place. In regard to her second question about whether YACSA has contacted me about this, to the best of my knowledge the answer is no.