Simon Kennedy (Cook, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Excise tariff amendment is critical to my electorate. We have lots of pubs and clubs in the seat of Cook, from the Feros Group, which runs a number of them, to the Laundy group, which runs iconic Northies, where I spent part of my university years doing security and working. Pubs and clubs employ hundreds of hardworking people across my electorate—who pour the beers and serve the meals—and keep a lot of our economy going. The Sutherland shire has a lovely tourist clientele along the Bate Bay beaches. The beautiful pubs and clubs of the Sutherland shire adorn some of the finest views we have in all of Sydney.

That's why this excise freeze is critical. Many of the small pubs and small operators that are family operated and run have not been doing well. They've not invested in poker machines; they've been putting on live music. They're getting pushed on their margins, both their costs and their revenue, so this is welcome relief.

I'd also like to acknowledge the local Tradies club, which supports dozens and dozens of charities right across my electorate.

Debate interrupted.

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