THE retail trading hours debate has helped spawn yet another lobbying association, only this time it’s a group fighting to deregulate Western Australia’s shopping hours.
THE retail trading hours debate has helped spawn yet another lobbying association, only this time it’s a group fighting to deregulate Western Australia’s shopping hours.
Last week WA Business News revealed that a group of small business associations had formed an umbrella organisation, the WA Retail and Small Business Association, aiming to be a political activist for small businesses across the State.
One of its core objectives is to fight the WA Government’s proposed changes to the State’s retail trading hours.
This week WA Business News has learnt that a new association is forming with an opposing agenda.
A source has told WA Business News that the new association is made up of representatives from big WA businesses that want more trading hours but do not want to be aligned with Woolworths or Coles.
Woolworths and Coles are members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Liquor Stores Association of WA.
However, just which businesses are part of the new lobby group is unclear.
Several large non grocery and mostly WA-owned businesses spoken to by WA Business News said they had not been approached by a new industry activist.
Bunnings Building Supplies managing director Peter Davis said Bunnings had been lobbying for some time to open up the State’s trading hours but had not been approached to join a new association.
“It is our home town and where we started but it is the only place in Australia or New Zealand where we are restricted in what we can sell,” he said.
“We can’t sell things like light coverings and floor coverings.
“It costs us quite a bit in WA. We have had to change the store layout and design.
“We have been lobbying for some time but have been told by governments to go away.”
Gerry Harvey, the man behind national electrical, furniture and computer retailer Harvey Norman, has long been a critic of WA’s restricted trading hours.
However, Mr Harvey said he has not been approached to join a pro-deregulation lobby group.
He said groups pushing for greater trading hours in the non-grocery sector had occurred in other States that underwent trading hours deregulation.
“It’s another way to attack it,” Mr Harvey said.
“That’s what happened in other States. They allowed bulky goods to open but not the grocery goods to open.”
Mr Harvey said his stores had opened in some States on Sundays before Coles and Woolworths were given the go ahead.
Rick Hart wants to be able to open his chain of electrical, home entertainment and furniture stores on Sundays but he too has not heard of a new association pushing ahead for change.
A major competitor to Rick Hart, Retravision, opposes change.
Its cooperative of franchise owners is worried about a skill shortage, according to Retravision business development manager Bob Rogers.
“Our customers want to talk to someone that is experienced and has good product knowledge. But if there is an extension of trading hours it means that there becomes a shortage of quality people to work the hours,” he said.
The Government’s planned changes to retail trading hours will extend weeknight trading hours until 9pm but only small businesses will be allowed to open on Sundays.
The legislation has passed through the lower house and has been tabled for debate in the upper house during this Parliament sitting period.
However, WA Business News understands the Government does not have minor party support to open up trading hours.
Earlier this year the Gallop Government canned its proposed liquor legislation changes for want of political support.
