Impact of Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour on Hospitality Industry
- Feb 27
- 6 min read
Over my 16 years in Parliament, I have been a strong advocate for South Australia’s hospitality sector - a major economic driver that employs more than 60,000 people and contributes over $4 billion to our State’s economy. Our hotels, cafés, restaurants and bars are built on the hard work of small and family‑owned businesses, and they play a vital role in supporting our reputation for world‑class festivals, tourism and major events.
In August 2025, I delivered a speech raising serious concerns about the growing levels of crime and anti‑social behaviour impacting hospitality venues, bottle shops and staff across South Australia. Operators have reported escalating incidents involving organised groups, repeat offenders, intimidation and violence—issues that place frontline workers at risk and undermine the safety of our community.
In my speech, I called on the Malinauskas Labor Government to work collaboratively with industry and key stakeholders to deliver practical, effective and coordinated responses to this rising threat. The Australian Hotels Association (SA) has put forward clear, reasonable proposals - including stronger consequences for repeat offenders, exclusion orders for known perpetrators, consistent police resourcing, and co‑funded crime‑prevention measures - and the sector deserves appropriate support.
Protecting hospitality venues is not just a safety issue; it is an economic imperative that underpins South Australia’s tourism success, regional development and reputation as a welcoming destination.
You can watch the video or read the full transcript of my speech below.
Parliamentary Speech – Legislative Council
Private Members Motion
20 August 2025
IMPACT OF CRIME & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ON HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:00): I move:
That this Council —
I. Notes that the South Australian hotel and hospitality sector has been burdened by the growing impact of crime and antisocial behaviour.
II. Recognises the following issues as evidence of longstanding policy failure in addressing a complex societal challenge:
(a) the increasing frequency and violence of organised and repeat offenders targeting bottle shops and licensed venues;
(b) the displacement, not the resolution, of criminal activity due to regional liquor restrictions; and
(c) the exposure of hospitality staff to abuse and unsafe working conditions.
III. Affirms the need for a fairer, more responsive system that supports both decent wages for workers and the sustainability of small businesses across South Australia.
IV. Acknowledges the Australian Hotels Association SA ( AHA|SA) for its sustained and extensive engagement with authorities and significant investment in crime prevention.
V. Notes that other jurisdictions have partnered with industry to co-fund crime prevention initiatives.
VI. Calls on the state government to work collaboratively with the hotel and hospitality sector, and to give due consideration to the AHA|SA's proposals to develop practical, effective responses to rising crime and antisocial behaviour, and to ensure venues and staff are adequately supported and protected.
South Australia's hospitality sector is facing an escalating challenge, not from economic downturns or changing consumer habits but from a rise in crime and antisocial behaviour. Our parks, hotels and bottle shops, once places of community and celebration, are now on the frontlines of a crisis that has not been adequately addressed. This is not just a law and order issue; it is a test of whether we are willing to stand with the workers, small business owners and communities who are bearing the brunt of a broken system.
Today, I rise not just to highlight the problem but to demand action. The scale of this challenge can no longer be ignored. Every day, hospitality workers and business owners have been impacted by this crisis. As reported in Hotel SA magazine:
“Our members continue to be victims in the fight against crime—but I am not convinced the high level of cooperation provided by pubs is understood, nor is it fully recognised.”
This is not a problem confined to one industry. It reflects broader societal issues, generations of policy failure, rising organised crime and increasing strain on frontline workers. The hospitality sector is simply where these failures are most visible. Repeat and organised offenders are targeting bottle shops and licensed venues with alarming regularity. These are not petty thefts.
As AHA|SA chair David Basheer puts it, and I quote:
“… is not an isolated person pilfering a sixpack. These are organised groups using intimidation and violence in a repeated and sustained manner.”
Liquor restrictions, while well-intentioned, have not solved the problem. They have merely shifted it. The evidence is clear: displacement is not resolution.
Hospitality staff are now on the frontline, being abused, threatened and, in some cases, physically endangered. They face hostility when enforcing regulations and, in some instances, well-meaning patrons have had to intervene.
Despite this, AHA|SA and its members have not stood still. They have engaged extensively with SAPOL, CBS, the Department of Human Services and other stakeholders. They have invested heavily in crime prevention, retrofitting fridges, installing glass-fronted spirit cabinets, hiring security and deploying technology to identify offenders.
But they cannot do this alone. The AHA|SA is calling for five key areas of support from government:
Stronger legal consequences for repeat and violent offenders, recognising these are sustained criminal acts, not minor infractions.
Legal tools such as exclusion orders to prevent known offenders from re-entering licensed venues.
Financial support for crime prevention infrastructure, because the cost of public safety should not all fall solely on private operators.
Consistent police resourcing across the state, not just during major events but all year round.
Formal recognition of the hospitality sector's role in supporting public safety and compliance.
These are not unreasonable demands: they are practical, targeted and grounded in the lived experience of those on the ground.
Other jurisdictions have recognised the value of co-funded crime prevention. For example, in New South Wales the government has partnered with industry to deliver enhanced RSA training, focused on sexual violence prevention, a model that improves safety for both staff and patients.
In Victoria, grants of up to $300,000 are available through the Crime Prevention Innovation Fund to support collaborative safety initiatives. This example showed that practical, effective responses are possible when government and industry work together, and South Australia's hospitality sector is ready to do its part.
The AHA|SA and its members are actively seeking collaboration with the state government. Together they would like to co-design solutions that protect venues, support workers and strengthen community safety.
This is not just about protecting businesses or the industry; it is about protecting our community, the workers, patrons and the broader community members. It is about safeguarding a vital part of our economy, including protecting the reputation of South Australia as a safe tourism destination.
The most comprehensive economic analysis of South Australia's hotel sector was conducted in 2016 by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies. Even then, the figures were striking: over $4 billion contributed to gross state product, more than 33,000 full-time equivalent jobs supported and nearly a billion dollars in wages paid annually.
This data is nearly a decade old. Since then, the sector has only grown in importance, especially as a driver for tourism, regional development, and for community cohesion.
During major events like the 2025 AFL Gather Round the hospitality sector helped deliver record-breaking results: 93 per cent hotel occupancy; $4.3 million in nightly revenue; and over 269,000 fans attending matches across the state. These figures underscore that protecting the sector from rising crime is not just a safety issue; it is an economic imperative and a reputational consideration.
It is encouraging to see that government has taken some steps in the right direction. The introduction of mandatory bystander intervention training is a welcome step, but it addresses only one aspect of the safety challenges faced by hospitality workers, namely, harassment.
It does not address the more persistent threat posed by organised crime, repeat offenders or the enforcement of liquor restrictions—issues that require coordinated legal and policy reform. Otherwise, we risk placing the burden of public safety on the shoulders of those least equipped and least empowered to carry the responsibility.
This government is quick to celebrate the success of events like LIV Golf, the Adelaide 500 and the Gather Round, each promoted as a major win for South Australia, but let's be clear: these events do not succeed because of government press releases or announcements. They succeed because of the hospitality and hotel sector backing them in.
It is our hotels, pubs, restaurants and staff that carry the weight, serving the crowds, hosting the visitors and keeping our city vibrant, firing up the engine rooms of our economy. Yet, when it comes to supporting this important hotel and hospitality sector with the tools and protections it needs, the response is far less enthusiastic.
It is as if the government is happy to take the victory lap, waving the flag in the air, but not so keen to run the race and do the hard yards. Hospitality venues should be safe places for workers and patrons. Workers and community members need to be protected, respected and supported.
In summary, the hospitality sector is stepping up, investing in safety, engaging with authorities and proposing practical reforms. Now it is time for the state government to meet them halfway.
I call on the Malinauskas Labor Government to allocate resources to support the hotel and hospitality sector. It is not just good policy and it is not just good safety measures; it makes sense for our whole community.
We must work together to ensure our venues are safe, our workers protected and our economy supported. It is time for the state government to work collaboratively with the hotel and hospitality sector and to give due consideration to AHA SA's proposal to develop practical, effective responses to rising crime and antisocial behaviour and to ensure venues and staff are adequately supported and protected.
With those remarks, I commend the motion.
