Member calls for support for clubs, pubs

Member for Barwon Roy Butler has said the viability of member clubs across NSW should be a priority for the Government and called for a temporary waiver of the quarterly gaming machine tax.

“Clubs in New South Wales, like RSLs and bowling clubs, are integral to the fabric of many of our communities and we need to ensure their viability throughout this pandemic,” Mr Butler said.

“These clubs do incredible amounts of good. Some of it you never see. They are a meeting place, function venue, a place to eat, and so much more. In times of crisis like fires, or storms, clubs often become distribution hubs, or makeshift shelters.

“Each quarter clubs must pay a gaming machine revenue tax – this tax can be anywhere from 19.9 per cent to 29.9 per cent of profits from gaming machines per quarter. This is a significant amount of money, and in normal times, part of doing business for clubs.

“I’m calling on the NSW Government to temporarily waive the payment of this tax to Revenue NSW,” Mr Butler said.

“This money could be the difference between a club being able to keep local staff employed and pay the bills.”

Clubs are among the largest employers in regional and rural areas, employing over 13,000 full time workers and over 22,000 casual workers.

“At the moment clubs have had to stand down 91 per cent of their casual staff because they cannot afford to keep them on during the pandemic,” Mr Butler said.

“Clubs have attempted to retain permanent staff, a sign of their commitment to their teams – retaining the funds they would usually have to pay to Revenue NSW would go a long way in assisting in keeping these staff employed.

“The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party are concerned about the impact the closures will have on the community in the short term and the potential loss of many of these clubs, permanently, in the long term.”