Muristek
Staffing shortages are the “top of the pops” of issues facing businesses across the country, many of whom are struggling to operate amid a worker drought. Phillip Salhab, co-owner of Appetite Café in Five Dock, has had to call in family and friends to assist the day-to-day operations of his business. His café opened four weeks before the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, however managed to do “pretty well” throughout the pandemic. “We actually began to hire during the lockdowns,” Mr Salhab said. “It’s just a shame that on every occasion we had no applicants, on any of them.” The same point is echoed by the Australian Industry Group’s CEO, Innes Willox, who said staff shortages were among a “smorgasbord of issues” facing business. Mr Willox said that while unemployment was low – with the country’s 4.2 per cent unemployment rate the lowest in over 13 years – there just isn’t “enough people to go around”. International students, backpackers, and migrants are important sources of staff for Australian businesses – however, despite the federal government extending an olive branch to students and backpackers via a visa fee rebate, Mr Willox believes it “will take a while to come through”. “We were quick to turn off the tap to migration, and we’re very slow to turn it back on,” he said.
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