Brisbane’s coffee king says there’s a critical shortage of workers across various industries.

Founder and Managing Director of Coffee Commune, Phillip di Bella, says they represent a consortium of over 500 cafes and restaurants, and 90 per cent of them are looking for staff.

“It’s not just in our industry it’s cleaning, hospitality, it’s in building, it’s financial services, so it’s professional and non-professional, across the board you can’t say it’s just one industry.”

He said some have it too easy.

“This is what I have to say to them all: forget your politics, if you really care about the people of Queensland, forget your politics, forget your slinging match.

“What are you going to do to encourage people that can work to get off their backsides and go and take up what the federal government has offered u terms of training dollars, go get trained and get skilled and get a job or go and get a job that’s available where you don’t need skills.

“State government: stop blaming federal government for garbage because you are encouraging them to stay home and do nothing.”

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