Anzac Day NSW trading hour restrictions spark requests from bottle shops, supermarkets for ‘essential’ service exemptions

Bottle shops, supermarkets and clothes shops are among hundreds of businesses that have failed to be granted exemptions to open their doors this Anzac Day after claiming they are “essential services”.

Hundreds of NSW supermarkets, bottle shops and car parts businesses have failed to be granted exemptions from the NSW Government to open their doors on Anzac Day after claiming they are “essential services” that should be able to remain trading.

New trading laws for April 25 coming into effect for the first time this year will result in many retailers having to close on Friday as part of new restrictions Premier Chris Minns said were aimed at stopping the “creeping commercialism” of the commemorative day.

Up until this year, most NSW retailers have opened after 1pm on April 25 but many will close all day including Woolworths and Coles outlets.

IGA outlets, Cellarbrations liquor stores, Friendly Grocer stores, SPAR supermarkets and AMX motorcycle outlets are among retailers who have tried to seek exemptions from the limitations.

Retail Drinks Australia also wanted dispensations for the 3163 shops it represents.

Stores including IGA Lalor Park applied for exemptions.

Red Bottle – which operates 12 bottle shops in inner city Sydney – claims the closure “will mean a large number of tourists” to the inner city will be “unable to easily buy bottles of wine which they would expect to be able to do in a global city”.

Multiple supermarkets have also sought exemptions including IGA Merrylands, which argued it serviced local residents, was not a corporate entity and employed local students.

Bottle-O in Wentworth Point also sought an exemption.

Friendly Grocer in Fairlight wanted an exemption to address the “significant impact” the one-day closure may have on shoppers who may want to buy “bread buns, sausages and cold drinks” on the public holiday.

In Windsor, confectionary store Lollies ‘N’ Stuff argued it relied on public holiday trade to sustain its business throughout the year.

Camperdown Cellars – which operates multiple stores across Sydney – says Anzac Day has traditionally been one of its peak yearly trading days and believes shoppers should be given “freedom of choice”.

Rakesh Kumar – who runs an Indian clothing market on Liverpool St in the CBD – said many shoppers might be caught off-guard by the new restrictions.

NSW Premier Chris Minns announced the changes last year.

“Shops should be able to open after 1pm particularly in the CBD and I think it’s unfair for small businesses to have to shut all day,” he said.

“A lot of customers also have busy schedules and want to attend the shop on public holidays and should have the choice.”

More than 70 other applications for exemptions have also been refused requests by Fair Trading after it found many had failed to demonstrate how a single day closure would result in any significant disruption to shoppers.

The stance is supported by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association – the union representing retail workers – which has argued allowing businesses to open all day on Anzac Day could “put pressure” on workers and impact their ability to spend the day with family or their community.

Australian Retailers’ Association chief executive Paul Zahra.

But the Australian Retailers’ Association has been a vocal critic of the changes, with chief executive Paul Zahra saying the legislation would not change the way Australians came together on the commemorative day.

He said allowing venues to trade after 1pm had struck the right balance between respectful commemoration and consumer choice.

The changes – announced by Mr Minns last year – include exemption for chemists, service stations, some specialty shops as well as RSL venues.

But music festivals have been banned on April 25 after rock concert Pandemonium prompted furore from veterans when it proposed to stage an event at the Domain within earshot of the Anzac Memorial at Hyde Park last year.

Mr Minns said the new limits were a “crucially important” way to commemorate veterans and respect those that have served for their country.

Originally published as Anzac Day NSW trading hour restrictions spark requests from bottle shops, supermarkets for ‘essential’ service exemptions