Millicent fears shopping hour deregulation will “destroy the fabric of society”

A regional South Australian town has spoken – twice, and now the outcome of a proposed shopping hour referendum will put its supermarkets at risk of closure.

A South East community has already voted against deregulation of shopping hours, twice, but now a proposed referendum could put its supermarkets at risk, according to a local business leader.

Millicent is one of few regional South Australian towns with regulated retail hours with all shops over 200sq m and supermarkets over 400sq m closed on Sundays unless an exemption has been granted.

The town most recently voted in favour of the strict rules in 2017 and Millicent Community Business Association chairperson Lee Morgan, the state government’s proposed referendum was a “blanket approach to a local problem” and would have ramifications.

IGA Millicent is the only supermarket allowed to trade in the town on a Sunday. Picture: Google Maps

“The community has spoken,” Mr Morgan said.

“We’re in a situation where we’ve got three supermarkets and one will close if this deregulation goes through.

“It definitely won’t be Woolworths, so it leaves either the IGA or the Foodland that just won’t be viable to continue with three supermarkets for 5000 people.

“It’s got the potential to destroy the fabric of society.

“Sunday is the time when people do catch up with others in town, there’s obviously people who go to church and do we as a town want to be running like Rundle Mall does? I don’t think it does.”

Mr Morgan said the current system allows where IGA trades on Sunday while Woolworths and Foodland cannot, allowed all stores to be profitable.

He said community consultation was essential and had been overlooked.

“Millicent is often forgotten about in all aspects as regional South Australia is concerned, it seems to be like a suburb of Mount Gambier which it’s clearly is not,” he said.

“(The state government) has just released a Regional Development Strategy and one of the priorities in there is collaborating with communities about local innovative solutions.

“An innovative solution could be a heads of agreement between Woolworths, Foodland and IGA that shops won’t be open on Sundays for a 20 year period.”

Treasurer Rob Lucas announced on Tuesday he will introduce a Bill to state parliament this week in a push to have South Australians vote on a referendum at the March election.

The move follows the Liberals’ longstanding bid and 2018 election promise to reform retail hours.

Mr Lucas argued majority support at the proposed referendum would deliver a binding result and force change regardless of the election winner.

“Now is the time to let the people decide, once and for all, whether they want the freedom to shop, trade and work when and where they choose, without our confusing, outdated laws stopping them,” Mr Lucas said.

“We know that sensible shop trading hours reform has overwhelming public support.”