NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard’s has announced plans to introduce 24 hour trading in the two weeks before Christmas.
The expanded trading hours have been welcomed by Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA), however CEO Margy Osmond said the proposal should also include Boxing Day.
“Large retailers welcome the proposal by Brad Hazzard to relax trading hours restrictions in the two weeks before Christmas, but want to see Boxing Day included in the reform,” she said.
“ANRA has campaigned tirelessly on trading hours reform in NSW, which now lags behind much of the rest of the country in terms of restrictions.
“The legislation needs to be through before this Christmas, it needs to happen now This Christmas is a tipping point for the retail sector in this country and we are urging Governments to do all they can to make it a successful one for local businesses.
“The NSW Government needs to be mindful that a considerable amount of Christmas trade flows through to the Boxing Day sales and for most of this state the shops are forced to be closed. That is an enormous amount of revenue lost to businesses outside the tourist precincts in this state.
“Online retail is open 24/7 and it is an important step for the NSW government to realise that flexibility in all things is what the modern family now requires – including in trading hours. We welcome this decision and hope the detail has more angel than devil for the retail sector.”