Woolworths Gordonvale trading hours debate wins Cairns councillor nod as MP fires up
A Cairns councillor stands by his views on backing increased trading hours for a major retailer, despite federal MP Bob Katter’s warning to anyone who supported the grocer.
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A Cairns councillor stands by his views on backing increased trading hours for Woolworths Gordonvale, despite federal MP Bob Katter’s warning to anyone who supported the grocer.
The Kennedy MP warned he’ll “take down the names” of anyone supporting Woolworths’ bid for Sunday trade at Gordonvale, however, local Division 1 councillor Brett Moller, who once opposed the grocer, said the community deserved choice.
“We’ve already seen the deregulation (of trading hours) in Cairns and the Northern Beaches and even in Edmonton, where Coles trades on a Sunday,” Mr Moller said.
“So you would think that by logical extension that Gordonvale is also part of the Cairns local government area and the Gordonvale community should be afforded that as well.”
The National Retail Association (NRA), on behalf of Woolworths, lodged an application with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, citing survey results undertaken by the grocer finding “87 per cent of respondents confirming they shopped at grocery stores on a Sunday”.
NRA chief executive Lindsay Caroll said allowing Sunday trade would benefit local small business “because it draws people from outside the region” to spend at all kinds of stores.
But Mr Katter argued it would be the “beginning of the end for the independent shops”.
“We will tenaciously oppose and take down the names of anyone that pushes seven-day trade at Gordonvale Woolworths,” he said.
“Let’s be clear: this is not about community choice or convenience.
“It’s about wiping out the last little guys still standing – the butcher, the bakery, the fruit stall on the side of the road – all gone, so we can hand more power to the supermarket duopoly.
“I know it’s easy to go to the bigger store, and when you think ‘food’ you think Woolworths and Coles, but it’s because you’ve been brainwashed. You see it on your TV over and over again.”
Mr Moller, who operates a law firm at Gordonvale and was a former chamber of commerce president, said he once shared similar concerns about the impacts to small business when the council opposed the development of Woolworths at the southern suburb in 2012.
“We didn’t believe that there was the population or catchment to support a second retail supermarket in the Gordonvale community,” he said.
“But the community has grown and the southern corridor is growing.”
Mr Moller said it was important he consulted with the wider community, including the chamber of commerce and the grocers IGA and Woolworths, to be fully informed, should the council be asked to make a comment on the QIRC application.
He said he supported Mr Katter’s longstanding views of government action against the market share of the two major grocers, but said this application was a matter of “choice for consumers”.
In a Cairns Post Facebook poll, 472 voted in favour of Sunday trade for Gordonvale Woolworths, while 19 opposed.
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Originally published as Woolworths Gordonvale trading hours debate wins Cairns councillor nod as MP fires up
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