❓ Dr. Nahan questions Premier McGowan on his stance on retail trading hours deregulation, referencing McGowan's 2012 position. McGowan clarifies his past support for limited extensions and current opposition to 24-hour trading, citing concerns for small businesses and retail workers.
AnsweredQoN 716Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RETAIL TRADING HOURS
716. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Before I get to my question, I would
like to congratulate the mighty West Coast Eagles for their tremendous victory
and the 2018 premiership.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I agree. Well done.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Commiserations
to the Collingwood team, but the best team won on the day.
I remind the Premier that when he
became the Leader of the Labor Party in 2012, he promoted himself as the
champion of trading hours deregulation, and I quote —
� workers can have choice, consumers
can have choice, businesses can have choice �
Will the Premier support further
deregulation of retail trading hours, consistent with his conviction of 2012,
or is the Premier of 2018 simply beholden to the member for Cannington and his
shoppies union, who are hell-bent on winding back Christmas shopping hours?
716. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Before I get to my question, I would
like to congratulate the mighty West Coast Eagles for their tremendous victory
and the 2018 premiership.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I agree. Well done.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Commiserations
to the Collingwood team, but the best team won on the day.
I remind the Premier that when he
became the Leader of the Labor Party in 2012, he promoted himself as the
champion of trading hours deregulation, and I quote —
� workers can have choice, consumers
can have choice, businesses can have choice �
Will the Premier support further
deregulation of retail trading hours, consistent with his conviction of 2012,
or is the Premier of 2018 simply beholden to the member for Cannington and his
shoppies union, who are hell-bent on winding back Christmas shopping hours?
AnswerView source ↗
Can I begin my answer on a sombre
note and acknowledge Jacqueline Francis, the mental health nurse who was killed
in my electorate on Saturday evening and who passed away at the Dome cafe. I also
acknowledge her family and the staff at the Dome cafe, whom I visited this
morning, to pass on my thoughts and support.
On another note, the Leader of the
Opposition mentioned the member for Cannington. Can I pass on my commiserations
to the member for Cannington, the Speaker and the member for Hillarys, and
congratulate the West Coast Eagles.
Mr P.C. Tinley : Who else?
Mr M. McGOWAN : There are
others—the member for Kalgoorlie. I congratulate the West Coast Eagles,
a fine football club, and the player group, who were absolutely magnificent on
the grand final. I think they lifted virtually all Western Australian spirits
when they came through with that marvellous victory.
To the question, I want to take the
house back in history to 2012. When I became Leader of the Opposition in January
2012, I committed to supporting the then Premier's plans to extend
Sunday trading and, I think from memory, weeknight trading to 9.00 pm. The
reason I committed to that and the reason those reforms went through this
Parliament is that the then state opposition, the Labor Party, supported them.
They went through because of that; that is a fact of history. The then
government did not have the numbers to get them through because it was a divided government. There was the Liberal Party
and the National Party. The National Party would not vote for those reforms. I thought
I was a very constructive Leader of the Opposition and I was very reasonable in
what we did.
I would refer to them as the Barnett–McGowan
reforms. That is what I refer to them as. I would not add Grylls or Redman to
that title because they opposed them. I think I sat next to the former Premier
when we voted on them going through the house. As the member for Victoria
regularly points out, those Nationals WA members who live in the city whom he
sees shopping on Sundays —
Mr D.C. Nalder : Victoria?
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Victoria Park points out that those National Party city members of Parliament
whom he sees shopping on Sundays have the Barnett–McGowan reforms to
thank.
I do not agree with the proposal I saw
the Leader of the Opposition put forward on the weekend. I do not agree with 24-hour
trading. I do not think small business wants that. I do not think retail
workers want that. In fact, I do not think the vast majority of consumers want
it. I think the Liberal Party is out of touch with Western Australians. I think
it is out of touch with small business. If the opposition asked small
businesses if they want 24-hour trading, I think it will find that they will
say no, and I am on their side.
note and acknowledge Jacqueline Francis, the mental health nurse who was killed
in my electorate on Saturday evening and who passed away at the Dome cafe. I also
acknowledge her family and the staff at the Dome cafe, whom I visited this
morning, to pass on my thoughts and support.
On another note, the Leader of the
Opposition mentioned the member for Cannington. Can I pass on my commiserations
to the member for Cannington, the Speaker and the member for Hillarys, and
congratulate the West Coast Eagles.
Mr P.C. Tinley : Who else?
Mr M. McGOWAN : There are
others—the member for Kalgoorlie. I congratulate the West Coast Eagles,
a fine football club, and the player group, who were absolutely magnificent on
the grand final. I think they lifted virtually all Western Australian spirits
when they came through with that marvellous victory.
To the question, I want to take the
house back in history to 2012. When I became Leader of the Opposition in January
2012, I committed to supporting the then Premier's plans to extend
Sunday trading and, I think from memory, weeknight trading to 9.00 pm. The
reason I committed to that and the reason those reforms went through this
Parliament is that the then state opposition, the Labor Party, supported them.
They went through because of that; that is a fact of history. The then
government did not have the numbers to get them through because it was a divided government. There was the Liberal Party
and the National Party. The National Party would not vote for those reforms. I thought
I was a very constructive Leader of the Opposition and I was very reasonable in
what we did.
I would refer to them as the Barnett–McGowan
reforms. That is what I refer to them as. I would not add Grylls or Redman to
that title because they opposed them. I think I sat next to the former Premier
when we voted on them going through the house. As the member for Victoria
regularly points out, those Nationals WA members who live in the city whom he
sees shopping on Sundays —
Mr D.C. Nalder : Victoria?
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Victoria Park points out that those National Party city members of Parliament
whom he sees shopping on Sundays have the Barnett–McGowan reforms to
thank.
I do not agree with the proposal I saw
the Leader of the Opposition put forward on the weekend. I do not agree with 24-hour
trading. I do not think small business wants that. I do not think retail
workers want that. In fact, I do not think the vast majority of consumers want
it. I think the Liberal Party is out of touch with Western Australians. I think
it is out of touch with small business. If the opposition asked small
businesses if they want 24-hour trading, I think it will find that they will
say no, and I am on their side.
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