The National Retail Association (NRA) has today welcomed State Government moves to establish a committee to review retail trading hours, after a proposal to make Easter Sunday a public holiday in Queensland was announced.
NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said she was looking forward to working closely with the State Government on this matter.
“The NRA is open to the idea of allowing retailers across Queensland having the choice to open their doors on Easter Sunday, however this must be balanced by reform to retail trading hours, to ensure small businesses are not adversely impacted,” Ms Lamb said.
“Retail trading laws in Queensland need to be simplified and clarified, and this should be done in conjunction with any other changes during a busy part of the retail year such as Easter.
“Retailers are often unable to cater to their customers, simply because the current legal framework hasn’t caught up with changing customer needs.
“Under current retail trading law in Queensland, some large businesses are already allowed to trade on Easter Sunday, while others are not.
“The current system of trading hours is archaic, confusing and difficult to understand, so we are working closely with the State Government to bring far greater consistency and simplicity to this complex legal framework.
“The NRA looks forward to consulting with the Government and the Minister on this matter, with the hope of reforming retail trade in Queensland, and giving retailers greater flexibility to better service their customers.”