I put this question to you… can volunteers consume alcohol whilst they are engaged in volunteer activities?

This is a concern for many volunteer-based operations, all volunteers and the work they perform for the community. To say to volunteers for the first time that they cannot consume alcohol while performing volunteer tasks may present a major challenge (picture telling the sausage sizzle king that he cannot consume a beer during cooking), and this is largely due to the culture which has been created. Volunteers have been allowed to consume alcohol in some way, shape or form whilst engaged in work activities for many years.

The debate to push for more poker machine restrictions continues despite the Labor Government announcing a comprehensive plan to regulate, tax and further limitations on poker machine operations in Australia.

Charles Livingstone authored a report outlining the results of a study funded by the Uniting Care Australia called an “Assessment of poker machine expenditure and community benefit claims in selected Commonwealth Electoral Divisions”. The report, carrying the insignia and presumably the full approval of Monash University, concluded that “Poker machines thus provide an extremely inefficient and high cost method for funding sporting and charitable activities.”

The Gillard Government pushed the carbon tax legislation through Parliament in November last year. The controversial tax will be imposed from 1 July 2012.

Hospitality venues across Australia are calculating the impacts but it’s a question of simple economics versus crystal ball-gazing as managers and owners wonder what competitors will do.

We are all aware of the key elements of the package but some are worth mentioning: