By Rebel News | Created at 2024-12-04 02:46:05 | Updated at 2024-12-04 18:57:22
16 hours ago
Calls grow for Chinese-owned pub chain to scrap surcharge after Australia Day ban furore
Australian Venue Co faces fresh criticism for profiting from Australia Day while cancelling celebrations, leading to huge public backlash.
Australian Venue Co is under increasing pressure to remove its 15 per cent public holiday surcharge on January 26 after its controversial decision to ban Australia Day celebrations across more than 200 venues.
Critics argue the surcharge contradicts the Chinese-owned company’s stance on the divisive holiday and is an attempt to profit while rejecting the day’s significance.
🚨 Chinese-owned hospitality giant CANCELS Australia Day across 200 venues it controls nationwide
Stop giving your hard-earned Aussie dollars to a communist company that hates us!
Go to https://t.co/Z9pDYWmGc9, sign and share the petition and get yourself a copy of the complete… pic.twitter.com/vfcNQCa9AQ
The Hong Kong-based company sparked outrage earlier this week by announcing it would not “specifically celebrate a day that causes hurt for some of our patrons and our team.” Despite this position, the company has refused to confirm if it will scrap the surcharge, a move seen by many as hypocritical.
You probably saw the news that a foreign-owned corporation controlling 200 pubs was looking to cancel Australia Day. Well, they’ve backed down after the backlash from proud Aussies!
This shows the power of standing together. If a company won’t support Australia and our national… pic.twitter.com/MO8l12qxtN
Nationals leader David Littleproud led the calls for action, slamming Australian Venue Co for what he described as corporate opportunism.
“There are plenty of other pubs around the country that want to celebrate our nation for what it is and what we have achieved – warts and all,” he said.
“The behaviour of Australian Venues Co epitomises the behaviour of corporate Australia. We saw it during the Voice (referendum).
“They are using what they perceive as moral issues for what they believe will be their own corporate gain.”
Criticism was echoed by Australian Taxpayers Alliance president Brian Marlow, who questioned the company’s motives.
Find out which of your local pubs are owned by #AustralianVenueCo and start boycotting the pricks immediately. This is a free country and I will celebrate my National Day wherever I like! Seriously, let's get them closed BEFORE Australia Day- then they can do what they want! pic.twitter.com/76v7wbxSjn
— Jimmy Dubbs🐼🇦🇺 (@The_Panda_Kebab) December 2, 2024The backlash has also fuelled calls for boycotts, with many Australians frustrated by what they see as a contradictory and divisive approach. Social media users pointed out that the company has previously celebrated lighter events, such as “World Lasagne Day,” while choosing to dismiss January 26.
In an embarrassing public apology, a spokesperson for the hospitality giant said it was not their “intention to offend anyone.” They added, “Whether you choose to celebrate Australia Day or not, everyone is welcome in our pubs, always.”
For many, however, the apology falls short. Critics argue that if Australian Venue Co refuses to honour the day, it should not benefit from the holiday’s public holiday surcharge.
THE BLACKLIST: Venues operated by Australian Venue Co
VIC: |
Anglers Tavern, Apollo Bay Hotel, Auburn Hotel, Ball Court Hotel, Beer DeLuxe Fed Square, Birallee Tavern, BrewDog Pentridge, College Lawn Hotel, Criterion Hotel, Eureka Hotel, Fairfield Park Boathouse, Fargo and Co, Flinders Hotel, Garden State Hotel, Golden Gate Hotel, Harlow, Holliava, Hopscotch, Hotham Hotel, Imperial Hotel Bourke St, Imperial South Yarra, Melbourne Public, Middle Park Hotel, Morris House, Perseverance, Prahran Hotel, Prince Alfred Hotel, Prince of Wales Hotel, Public House, Richmond Club Hotel, River’s Edge Events, Skinny Dog Hotel, State of Grace, Studley Park Boathouse, Swan Hotel, Terminus Hotel Abbotsford, The Bridge Hotel, The Crafty Squire, The Duke of Wellington, The Esplanade Hotel, The Exchange Hotel, The Gardiner Hotel, The Hawthorn Hotel, The Local, The Park, The Posty, The Provincial, The Smith, The Station Hotel, The Terminus Yarrawonga, The Victoria Hotel, The Wharf Hotel, Trinket, Village Belle Hotel, West Beach Pavilion, Yarra Botanica, Yarra Valley Grand Hotel. |
QLD: |
Airlie Beach Hotel, Barron River Hotel, Beenleigh Tavern, Berserker Tavern, Birkdale Gardens Tavern, Bonny View Hotel, Boomerang Hotel, Bribie Island Hotel, Brighton Hotel, Browns Plains Hotel, Burleigh Town Hotel, Cannon Hill Tavern, Capella Hotel, Carindale Hotel, Chancellors Tavern, Cleveland Sands Hotel, Cleveland Tavern, Club Hotel Waterford, Commercial Hotel, Commonwealth Hotel, Coomera Lodge Hotel, Crown Hotel, Currimundi Hotel, Diamonds Kallangur, Diamonds Tavern Varsity Lakes, Dunwoody’s Hotel, Empire Alternacade & Events, Enigma, Everton Park Hotel, Ferry Road Tavern, Finn McCool’s Brisbane, Finnigan’s Chin Keperra, Fitzy’s Loganholme, Fitzy’s Waterford, Friday’s, Grafton Hotel Edmonton, Grand Hotel Motel, Hey Chica, Hope Island Tavern, Hotel Allen, Hotel HQ Underwood, Inala Hotel, Jindalee Hotel, Jubilee Tavern, Kings Beach Tavern, Koala Tavern, Kooyong Hotel, Lefty’s Music Hall, Leichhardt Hotel, Lulu Rooftop Bar, Mango Hill Tavern, Mansfield Tavern Brisbane, Mihi Tavern, Morayfield Tavern, Mount Sheridan Tavern, Newnham Hotel, Old Bundy Tavern, Palm Cove Tavern, Port Office Hotel, Portadown Hotel, Redcliffe Tavern, Reef Gateway Hotel, Regatta Hotel, Retro’s Brisbane, Riverland Brisbane, Royal Hotel Nundah, Royal Mail Hotel, Runaway Bay Tavern, Salisbury Hotel, Sands Tavern, Springlake Hotel, Sundowner Hotel Motel, Surfair Beach Hotel, Taigum Tavern, The Anthill, The Boundary Hotel, The Club Hotel Gladstone, The Commonwealth Hotel Roma, The Kenmore, The Local Tavern, The Lord Alfred Hotel, The Mansfield Townsville, The Metropolitan Hotel, The Ox, The Strand Hotel, The White Bull Tavern, The Wickham, Tom’s Tavern, Trinity Beach Tavern, Wallaby Hotel, Waterloo Hotel, Woodpecker Bar & Grill. |
NSW: |
Albion Hotel, Beer Deluxe Albury, Beer Deluxe T2, BrewDog South Eveleigh, Bungalow8, Cargo, Henley’s Kitchen & Bar, Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, Little Pearl Bar, North Byron Hotel, Salt Bar, The Bended Elbow, The Rook, The Winery, Untied. |
SA: |
Avenues Café & Bar, Brighton Metro Hotel, Hampstead Hotel, Mick O’Shea’s Hotel, Naracoorte Hotel, Parkside Hotel, Payneham Tavern, Robe Hotel, The Colonist, The Duck, The Grand Junction Tavern, The Hope Inn, The Mile End Hotel, The Unley, The West End Tavern, Victoria Hotel, Waterloo Station Hotel, Western Tavern |
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