SA business groups push for changes to Sunday trading laws
BUSINESS groups have intensified calls for an overhaul of Sunday trading hours, arguing that the state is squandering opportunities.
BUSINESS groups have intensified calls for an overhaul of Sunday trading hours, arguing that the state is squandering an opportunity to capitalise on growing tourist numbers, boost the economy and create jobs.
Large and small retailers as well as tourism businesses have thrown their support behind a new debate on South Australia’s trading hours.
Using last week’s Fair Work Commission penalty rate decision as a catalyst, business groups say SA must move with the rest of the country on trading hours, particularly on Sundays.
Businesses say the state is missing out on job creation in the Adelaide CBD and suburban shopping centres by failing to capitalise on the growing Sunday retail market.
“Right now is the right time,” Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman told the Sunday Mail.
“The penalty rate decision, it gives you the impetus to discuss it and have a sensible conversation about what is the best for the economy of SA? If you extend your trading hours, you will grow your economy.”
The call comes as figures from the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, cited by the commission last week, show Sundays had experienced the strongest growth in daily foot traffic with a 5.8 per cent increase between 2011 and 2014. The council’s executive director, Angus Nardi, said “people have voted with their feet, with the strong growth of Sunday as a key trend”.
Business SA industry and government engagement executive director Anthony Penney said Sunday trading would become a key election issue and the group was committed to lobbying for greater flexibility for businesses.
“The time is definitely right to intensify the push,” he said.
“Why should Government be dictating when and where business can open.
“If you consider the state’s underemployment you think we would be doing everything in our power to create additional hours and additional jobs.”
The call for an overhaul of trading hours comes as the retail market across the entire country is expected to receive its biggest shake-up in years with the arrival of retail giant Amazon – giving consumers and visitors a further avenue to spend their money.
Amazon is looking to open its first Australian bricks and mortar store at the end of the year, as well as distribution centres in every state including SA. Mr Zimmerman has warned retailers need to be ready for the “Amazon effect”.
“We live in a world now where I can be sitting on my iPad or phone at midnight and I can buy something overseas – and it will often get delivered faster than from in Australia,” he said.
Tourism Minister Leon Bignell, who has overseen a golden period in local tourism with international visitor numbers growing by 9.6 per cent last year, disagrees that shop hours in the CBD need to change.
“It is all right for the really big companies but it really hurts the small and medium retailers,” Mr Bignell said.
“I would rather see people in our wine regions rather than lining up at Woolies.
“The big multinationals are always going to want more and more. If they could abolish wages they would be happy.
“They are off at the golf course but they expect all these workers to spend time away from their families.”
Visitors to Adelaide’s Rundle Mall today will need to wait until 11am to shop at major retailers while shoppers in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart CBDs can start as early as 8am and as late as 7pm after deregulating or extending their trading hours.
Mr Zimmerman said in Adelaide “you need to consider your trading hours in terms of your cruise ship arrivals and visitors landing on Saturday night”.
“From a tourism point of view you will pick up more jobs,” he said.
“There is a huge opportunity to sell to people coming in to the state from inside and outside Australia.”
SA Tourism Industry Council general manager Shaun de Bruyn said it was passionate about reducing red-tape to allow industry growth.
“Shopping is a key visitor experience for many visitors that come to our state,” he said.
“As an example, we know that Chinese visitors spend over half of their total holiday budget on retail activity.”
Last year 38,000 Chinese visitors spent on average $6265 while holidaying in SA – the most of any international tourists.