The hospitality sector has come to the point where they have decided they need to take collective action or have their business destroyed, this time by the government.

92% of the Restaurant Association members say it is difficult to recruit for mid to senior level positions.

And what they are saying backs up the Seek employment numbers; the highest number of jobs listed for the third consecutive month, but an 11% drop in applications per job ad.

So, the Restaurant Association is doing it's own form of protest, they are having a lights out night on July 6 to draw awareness to the crisis, while some businesses have volunteered to shut for the night to highlight the severity of the situation.

Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois told Mike Hosking it’s not as simple as paying people more.

“Unfortunately, pay isn’t necessarily an issue when there aren’t enough people, that’s the major issue here.”

LISTEN ABOVE