Bar staff are expected to keep customers safe from sexual violence on their premises in light of alarming allegations of sex and drugs in the industry.
Hospitality workers in New South Wales will receive mandatory sexual violence prevention training after the Labor government reviewed the state’s mandatory responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training.
The major update comes in response to allegations that staff at one of Sydney’s leading bar and restaurant groups were encouraged to have sex with customers during their shift.
Swillhouse, who owns six high-profile venues in Sydney including Le Foote restaurant in The Rocks, whiskey bar Baxter Inn and French restaurant Hubert, was rocked by a litany of disturbing allegations in August.
The Sydney Morning Herald investigation shared allegations from five former female employees who said Swillhouse had failed to support them after they reported allegations of sexual abuse and harassment by male co-workers.
In response to the scandal, the government has pushed to extend mandatory training for bar staff, and advocacy groups and key stakeholders will be consulted on planned changes to the RSA training manual, which will also include drink handling.
Hospitality staff will be trained on how to recognize and report problematic behavior, from escalating incidents to management or contacting the police.
The months-long Sydney Morning Herald investigation also raised concerns about the culture within Swillhouse’s venues.
Bar staff are expected to keep customers safe from sexual violence on their premises in light of alarming allegations of sex and drugs in the industry.
A woman who worked as a waitress at Hubert’s reported that a colleague had raped her in the bathroom in 2013 after he prepared a cocktail with 10 different gins.
“I got completely drunk… and woke up… in the women’s bathroom at work,” the woman, who is filing a complaint with police, told the publication.
Other restaurant staff claimed there was a special room where they would do lines of cocaine during their shifts, while the all-male bartending team at the Baxter Inn allegedly competed to sleep with customers in a storage room.
A $1,000 bottle of wine was reportedly up for grabs for the first waiter to have sex with a customer.
Swillhouse CEO Anton Forte, who is not personally accused of any misconduct, resigned from the board in the wake of the exposé.
Earlier this month, Mr Forte posted a lengthy video on the hotel group’s Instagram account addressing the allegations.
During his video apology, Forte said he started his hospitality group to “create something magical in the city we love.”
Swillhouse founder Anton Forte (pictured) has posted a lengthy apology on Instagram after his hospitality group was embroiled in a shocking sex and drugs scandal.
Le Foote restaurant at The Rocks in Sydney is one of six Swillhouse venues
“We wanted to create a culture of openness, generosity and respect, but we made mistakes along the way,” he said.
‘It’s heartbreaking to know that there were people who were not supported, who were not listened to and who were let down.
“I am deeply sorry.”
Mr Forte said the allegations against Swillhouse were “far-reaching” and “reflect a period of time when our business was not as sophisticated as it is now”.
“We do not take them lightly and we respect people’s experiences and their need to share their stories publicly,” he continued.
“We have heard you, we are listening to you and we are responsible.”
SafeWork NSW’s investigation into Swillhouse’s allegations continues.
Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said the NSW government would take a “zero tolerance approach” to sexual harassment in its pubs and clubs.
“This requires a collaborative and coordinated effort by everyone,” Harris said.
‘RSA training is mandatory for all bar staff and security guards in pubs, clubs and small bars across New South Wales, so we are interested in investigating how best to equip them with the tools necessary to prevent this type of behaviour.’