Treasurer Rob Lucas considering a second crack at shop trading reform, saying past opponents are opening the door to change
Treasurer Rob Lucas is a considering second tilt at changing SA’s “crazy” shop trading laws — with some key figures previously opposed to the reforms now reconsidering their positions.
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Treasurer Rob Lucas is a considering second tilt at changing SA’s “crazy” shop trading laws, saying some industry figures who were stridently against longer hours are open to shifting their positions.
Fresh from passing a land tax reform package through Parliament after months of negotiation, Mr Lucas said he’d been approached by retail sector players about trading law changes and would also review the results of another Boxing Day without the ban.
After being elected on a platform of ending SA’s restrictive shops regime, Premier Steven Marshall was stymied in the Upper House by Labor and the entire crossbench.
Mr Lucas yesterday marked the start of a new festive shopping season, for which he’s given special permission in a workaround of laws that constrain Christmas trading.
Boxing Day shop trading hours will again be extended in the CBD by an additional two hours, from 9am. Mr Lucas has also approved extended shop trading hours in the lead-up to Christmas, including extended trade on all five Sundays in December and the opportunity for shops to open until midnight on three separate nights.
There is strong speculation that Mr Marshall will issue a procedural reset of Parliament over summer. That would trigger a reopening ceremony with a speech from Governor Hieu Van Le outlining an agenda for the next two years until the election and give the Government an option to try again with legislation it has previously lost votes on, including shop trading and council rate capping.
Speaking to The Advertiser yesterday, Mr Lucas said one could “never say never” in politics and he was taking fresh look at shop trading reform.
“The Government is always open to having a discussion,” Mr Lucas said. “Over the last six months, I’ve had informal discussions with two or three key players amongst the opponents in the retail industry.
“They, I think, are realising that the world has changed since (trading has been allowed in SA on) Boxing Day and the Easter Monday.”
However, Mr Lucas stressed that he had no interest in “tinkering” or “tweaking” SA’s “outdated” legislation which has become a “basket case”.
Currently, the size of a trader’s shop floor is what decides when they can open and many have taken steps including moving equipment and using dividing walls in a bid to get around them and sell goods.
Mr Lucas said: “If there’s a process to get where we want to go, we’re happy to talk.”
“The solution is ultimately a process toward a more sensible overall shop trading hours act,” he said. “That’s the goal.
“We’ll be having those discussions, and consider our position in the new year.”