Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm sure the former member for Reid would agree that the local watering hole is more than just a place to have a schooner. It's where friends and family come together. It's where: a sense of community is formed; where fun is had; where memories are made; where hard times are shared and where hangovers are sometimes formed. But, even more importantly, it's where people are employed.

Tooheys Brewery in Lidcombe employs roughly 200 workers and contractors in Reid. Producing nearly 300 million litres of beer each year, it is one of the largest breweries in the state. Overall the brewing association contributes $900 million to the New South Wales economy every year and employs around 2,500 people across the state. Tooheys is also proud to be officially carbon neutral. Their work has resulted in a total offset of all carbon emissions produced by the brewery. COVID-19 has had a severe impact on the hospitality industry. As a result of lockdowns across the country, the Brewers Association member companies lost 44 million schooners in sales—an absolute tragedy. Even worse is all the staff who lost their jobs and the hit to our economy that it has caused. Thankfully, JobKeeper and the Morrison government's economic lifeline kept many venues alive, just long enough until the economy could reopen. So 'Cheers' to National Local Day, recognising the resilience our pubs and clubs have shown over an extremely difficult 12 months.

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