Grog shop laws that help supermarket giants will ‘benefit’ small businesses Paul Kirby reckons

It was okay for controversial grog shop laws that benefit the country’s supermarket giants to be introduced by the Small Business Minister because there “is a range of benefits” for the little guys.

IT WAS okay for controversial grog shop laws that benefit the country’s supermarket giants to be introduced by the Small Business Minister because there “is a range of benefits” for the little guys.

Small Business Minister Paul Kirby, during budget estimates on Thursday evening, was asked to explain why he introduced new grog shop licensing rules when two of the proponents set to benefit were Woolworths and Coles.

This includes the contentious Dan Murphy’s megastore in Darwin.

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Finally able to admit the supermarket giants were indeed large businesses, Mr Kirby said there was a “range of benefits for small businesses through the NT”, that the laws revolved “around reducing red tape ... around job-creating opportunities”.

He argued the laws therefore “fit with my remit”, which is why he championed them instead of the Alcohol Policy Minister Natasha Fyles.

It is estimated Coles’ proposal to open a Liquorland at Oasis Palmerston would create six to eight jobs.

Small Business Minister Paul Kirby. Picture: Che Chorley

Alcohol Policy Minister Natasha Fyles. Picture: Che Chorley

The urgent changes to the Liquor Act, which were rammed through parliament last month, circumvent the independent Liquor Commission’s rulings and result in a decision to allow the fate of four grog shop applications to be decided by the Director of Liquor Licensing.

Asked by the opposition to justify pushing the responsibility onto one bureaucrat, Mr Kirby said the laws were “purely and simply” brought forward to “expedite” decisions for the four applicants that had found themselves in no-man’s land between two editions of the Liquor Act.

Mr Kirby confirmed the final decision on the Dan Murphy’s megastore would be made by the Director of Liquor Licensing by December 20.

Ms Fyles dodged questions about the grog shop laws during her estimates session on Wednesday but, despite the hostile line of questioning, grinned when she confirmed there were no vacancies at the 15-person Liquor Commission.

The Liquor Commissioners, through chair Richard Coates, have previously publicly registered their anger over the new laws.