Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We can reflect this week on where we were a year ago—the unease, the uncertainty and the feeling of knowing that the implications of the pandemic that had been somewhat in the background for weeks were becoming a full-blown reality. On this day, 23 March, 2020 hospitality owners across the country were reeling from the news that their bars, pubs and clubs would be closing down to help keep our communities healthy and safe. It was undoubtedly a dark day for owners and their employees who serve us our after-work drinks, on our night out or when we're catching up for a good pub lunch with friends on the weekend.

Launceston alderman and owner of Sporties Hotel, Nick Daking, has not forgotten the stress that he felt that day. He said: 'I always say that what's worse than a pub without beer is a pub without people. On 23 March we had both.' For employees of Boag's Brewery, our state's most iconic brewer located in the heart of Launceston, 23 March marked the first time that the brewery had to stop its keg line.

A year on, owner and operator of Boag's, Lion, has marked today as National Local Day to recognise the resilience our pubs and clubs have shown over the difficult 12 months. I call on all of us to head out tonight or on the weekend to our local pub, order a local beer or spirit and throw our support behind our hospitality venues. Those in Northern Tasmania, whether your local is the Scottsdale pub, Sporties, Saint John, the Metz, Alchemy or any other number of incredible venues, should get out and support our local industry.

Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join the member for Bass, my colleague opposite, to celebrate the inaugural National Local Day. It's 12 months today since the national cabinet made the decision to shut our pubs and hotels. Today is all about celebrating our local pubs and encouraging locals to support these businesses that can truly be the heart of local communities in many ways. On Friday I popped into my new local the Bridge Hotel in Werribee to try my hand at pouring a beer and have a chat to the owners and staff. The Bridge has come back online after many years sitting vacant, and locals are loving it. It has been a tough environment for all hospitality businesses, but it has been wonderful to see how quickly the redeveloped Bridge Hotel has become embedded in our community.

Given the political discussion at the start of 2021, I want to share my family's proud connection to our local hotel. The pub can be considered a pretty blokey place but I'm proud to say that, on a Werribee Cup day around 1970, it was my mum Dot who refused to leave the front bar at the Bridge and was the first woman to receive a beer poured for her in that front bar. I encourage everyone in Lalor to support our hospitality industry by having a meal at the Bridge Hotel, a beer at Hotel520 or a wine at the Park Hotel or by heading to the Hoppers Club, the RSL, the Italian Social Club or the bowling club—wherever it is that you meet your friends.