❓ Opposition questions the Premier's decision to reduce Christmas retail trading hours, citing business and consumer support for longer hours. The Premier defends the decision, highlighting minimal impact and support for small businesses.
AnsweredQoN 980Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHRISTMAS RETAIL TRADING
HOURS
980. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Before I get to my question, I give
my condolences to our colleague the member for Churchlands, his family and his
sister Louise, for the passing of his father, who was a well-known swimming
coach in Western Australia.
I refer to the excellent analysis in
today's The West Australian that reveals comments by the current
and former heads of Wesfarmers, Rob Scott and Richard Goyder, and the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia survey that found that 74 per cent
of consumers support additional Christmas shopping hours.
Can the Premier confirm that he was
wrong to cut back Christmas retail trading hours this year and that he has
failed to show leadership in retail reform, or have Western Australia's
leading employer and WA consumers got it wrong?
HOURS
980. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Before I get to my question, I give
my condolences to our colleague the member for Churchlands, his family and his
sister Louise, for the passing of his father, who was a well-known swimming
coach in Western Australia.
I refer to the excellent analysis in
today's The West Australian that reveals comments by the current
and former heads of Wesfarmers, Rob Scott and Richard Goyder, and the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia survey that found that 74 per cent
of consumers support additional Christmas shopping hours.
Can the Premier confirm that he was
wrong to cut back Christmas retail trading hours this year and that he has
failed to show leadership in retail reform, or have Western Australia's
leading employer and WA consumers got it wrong?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the
Opposition. Before I answer the question, I also pass on my and the government's
condolences to the member for Churchlands on the loss of his father. No doubt,
he and his family are feeling it very deeply at this point in time.
I also acknowledge a range of people
in the gallery today. I acknowledge the Malaysian netball president, Alwiyah Binti
Talib, who has come to Western Australia and is working with the Minister for
Sport and Recreation. On behalf of the member for Mount Lawley, I acknowledge
the year 8 students from Carmel School who are here today. On behalf of the
member for Baldivis, I also acknowledge the students from King's
College in Kwinana who are here today.
I saw that story in the newspaper
today. We announced Christmas trading hours for this year about two months ago.
I think we announced them on 20 September. It is now late November and the
story is out there. The fact of the matter is that there will still be 34 or 36
additional trading hours this Christmas on weekends and weekdays in the lead-up
to Christmas. There will be an enormous number of additional trading and
shopping hours for consumers in the Christmas period, both before and after
Christmas. Looking objectively at what we have done, we have, essentially,
removed one hour early in the morning in early December. Anecdotal evidence is
that very few people were out there shopping. There was no take-up. However, a lot
of small business people and people who work in retail were staffing their
stores and working long hours for no benefit. I thought it was a fairly
minimal, reasonable and balanced change. Obviously, other people disagree, but
I thought what we did was quite reasonable. I want to compare that with the
Liberal Party's policy, which is 24-hour trading. I know that small
business people across Western Australia do not support that. I am on the side
of small business.
Opposition. Before I answer the question, I also pass on my and the government's
condolences to the member for Churchlands on the loss of his father. No doubt,
he and his family are feeling it very deeply at this point in time.
I also acknowledge a range of people
in the gallery today. I acknowledge the Malaysian netball president, Alwiyah Binti
Talib, who has come to Western Australia and is working with the Minister for
Sport and Recreation. On behalf of the member for Mount Lawley, I acknowledge
the year 8 students from Carmel School who are here today. On behalf of the
member for Baldivis, I also acknowledge the students from King's
College in Kwinana who are here today.
I saw that story in the newspaper
today. We announced Christmas trading hours for this year about two months ago.
I think we announced them on 20 September. It is now late November and the
story is out there. The fact of the matter is that there will still be 34 or 36
additional trading hours this Christmas on weekends and weekdays in the lead-up
to Christmas. There will be an enormous number of additional trading and
shopping hours for consumers in the Christmas period, both before and after
Christmas. Looking objectively at what we have done, we have, essentially,
removed one hour early in the morning in early December. Anecdotal evidence is
that very few people were out there shopping. There was no take-up. However, a lot
of small business people and people who work in retail were staffing their
stores and working long hours for no benefit. I thought it was a fairly
minimal, reasonable and balanced change. Obviously, other people disagree, but
I thought what we did was quite reasonable. I want to compare that with the
Liberal Party's policy, which is 24-hour trading. I know that small
business people across Western Australia do not support that. I am on the side
of small business.
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