Keep our ‘vital’ doors open, says Michael Schneider
Bunnings boss Michael Schneider has made his case for its doors to remain open in Victoria as a shutdown of all non-essential stores is considered.
The boss of Australia’s biggest hardware chain Bunnings has made his case for its doors to remain open in Victoria as a shutdown of all non-essential stores is considered, saying its products are vital to keep the state running as well as a crucial linchpin in mental health as millions are isolated at home with nothing to do.
Bunnings chief executive Michael Schneider told The Australian the pressure of night-time curfews, one hour of outside exercise and heavily limited trips away from home would place huge mental health pressures on Victorians, with a home renovation project or working in the garden a necessary stress relief activity for many people.
The call comes as Paul Zahra, chief executive of the Australian Retailers Association, says the Victorian retail industry, which accounts for about 25 per cent of the nation’s $320bn retail sector, remains highly concerned about the decision by Premier Daniel Andrews in coming days on which stores will be essential and remain open and which will close.
The ARA will conduct emergency talks with the Victorian government in the next 24 hours as it sorts through the highly complex operation of maintaining the capacity and movement of key supplies through ports and airports to distribution centres and retailers, with Victoria a crucial hub in supplying the rest of the nation’s shopping needs.
Mr Zahra told The Australian he also was worried about the disproportionate impact on younger people if there is a mass retail closure in the state, with about one-third of employed people aged 15 to 24 years of age working in retail, as well as consumers turning to overseas online shopping if local stores are closed.
“There is no doubt further lockdown decisions will have a significant impact on many Victorian retailers; we have always said ‘safety first’ but when you start to say that non-essential retailers will be closed … if that would be the case, that is concerning,’’ he said. “Because then you have to make a decision and some of that is subjective about what is essential, so if you take a pet store — is that essential or non-essential if you have a dog at home?
“The devil will be in the detail and I guess we will hear more in the coming days.’’
Meanwhile, Mr Schneider has urged for his hardware chain to be allowed to remain open in a lengthy and more onerous shutdown of retailers across the state, with his business a key supplier to aged care, education and industry as well as taking the pressure off supermarkets with its deep catalogue of products in cleaning and hygiene.
“We always believed we play an essential role,’’ he said. “If there is a freak storm and roofs are damaged, it is tarpaulins and ropes and water proofing equipment; if your hot water system goes, if your smoke alarm goes or light bulbs go — these are all things you need for urgent repairs.
“The second part is that along with businesses like Officeworks, you are going to be running your classrooms and your offices from home so that requires lights, that requires tables, it requires power cords and cleaning products.
“And we play an important role in taking pressure off the supermarkets because we actually supply a range of products that overlap in those cleaning products so we spread the load between supermarkets and others.
“It is not just Bunnings, I take this view on behalf of the whole hardware industry.’’
Mr Schneider sits on the boards of several mental health organisations and he viewed this as also being a key issue in the prolonged lockdown in Victoria.
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