Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has hit out at the decision of new WA Premier Colin Barnett to reject full deregulation of the state’s  trading laws. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said while the WA economy is in boom time, the thriving local retail precincts in West Australia go dead every Sunday due to ‘draconian and archaic’ retail trading laws. “If Premier Barnett thinks that deregulating trading hours and allowing Sunday... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has hit out at the decision of WA Premier Alan Carpenter to back away from plans to deregulate the state’s trading laws. The issue of deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia has been on the agenda for years, with a 2005 referendum showing a lack of support for the concept. With the new election campaign, however, the idea has become a major talking point once again as Premier Carpenter backs away from his previous... ...Read more »

The issue of trading hour deregulation appears likely to be one of the major talking points of the upcoming WA state election.WA Opposition Leader Colin Barnett made the controversial decision to announce a possible extension to weeknight trading hours if the Liberal Party is elected. The announcement was made on the proviso that talks were held with interested parties before any firm decision was reached. “The issue of retail trading hours has been for many years a contentious issue in Western... ...Read more »

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has supported the reforms to NSW trading hours, which are due to come into effect on July 1, but acknowledge that it may create a delicate balance for smaller retailers. Currently retail trading hours throughout NSW are regulated under the Shops and Industries Act 1962 (the Act) but the Shop Trading Bill 2008, which was passed through parliament on June 17, is set to ‘modernise’ this legislation. The Bill will de-regulate shop trading... ...Read more »