Retailers say stimulus from tax cuts is likely to take months rather than weeks to boost retail sales, while record low interest rates are spooking consumers rather than spurring them to loosen their wallets.

The chief executives of Australia's largest shopping centre owner, Scentre Group, online fashion retailer The Iconic and leading footwear retailer Accent Group say there are no signs that billions of dollars of stimulus aimed at boosting spending is flowing through to the embattled retail sector.