NRA continues to assist retailers with bag bans across Australia

Sunday marked the launch of two new bag bans in QLD and WA. A total of 6 Australian states and territories now have plastic bag bans in place. Several supermarkets and national chains also took the initiative to ban lightweight plastic bags in NSW and VIC where bag bans are yet to be implemented. As […]

Supermarkets step up to meet global plastic challenge on World Environment Day

Media Release: Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP Minister for the Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg, says Australians used 5.66 billion single-use plastic bags last financial year. Some of which contributed to the 13 million tonnes of plastic which makes its way into our oceans each year, entangling or being eaten by marine life such as turtles, […]

100-day countdown begins before QLD retailers bin the plastic bag

There are only 100 days to go before retailers across Queensland will be forced to permanently bin the plastic bag when the state-wide ban kicks into effect on July 1 2018. The ban includes all single-use, lightweight shopping bags with handles and a thickness under 35 microns. NRA Manager of Industry Policy David Stout said […]

NRA welcomes change to allow regional retailers to trade on Easter Saturday

The National Retail Association (NRA) has today thanked the Queensland government for passing an amendment to allow non-exempt shops in regional Queensland to trade on Easter Saturday. In January the NRA identified that an amendment to the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act would result in many large retailers being forced to close their doors for four […]

Queensland rolls out Container Refund Scheme

Did you know that 2.4 billion drink containers are used in QLD each year? Drink containers are also the most commonly littered item after cigarette butts even though most can be recycled. In response, the Queensland Government will be introducing a Container Refund Scheme this year. Given the substantial changes such a scheme presents to […]

CrimeStoppers Annual Results Day

The following article was written by CrimeStoppers. On Monday 12 February 2018, CrimeStoppers announced the Annual Results Celebration Day and release via their digital platforms and the media specific data about their program activities in 2017.  For every successful report submitted to the Queensland Police Service by Crime Stoppers in 2017, an average of five charges […]

New employment incentives

The Queensland Government has announced additional employer incentives for employers.  1 January, the Government is offering payments of up to $20,000 for businesses to take on Mature Age Workers, through its Back to Work program Qld Government will be bringing around two of Youth Boost forward. The Honourable Shannon Fentiman said more will be done […]

Hundreds of thousands of shoppers expected as Westfield extends Christmas hours

Time-poor shoppers who’ve left knocking over their Christmas lists until the last minute will be able to shop till they drop right up until Christmas Eve, after Westfield today rolled out extended, state-wide trading hours. Scentre Group Regional Manager Richard Heinz said hundreds of thousands of people would flock into Queensland’s Westfield shopping centres over […]

Free support for Noosa businesses preparing for plastic bag ban

The NRA will be in Noosa on Monday 30 October touring local shopping centres and providing a free workshop for retailers preparing for the impending plastic bag ban. The NRA has joined forces with Local member for Noosa, Glen Elmes MP, to provide a free Plastic Bag Ban Workshop on Monday 30 October at 5.30pm […]

Message from the CEO: 29 August 2017

Implementing a successful marketing strategy is instrumental to the success of any retail outlet. One of the easiest and most effective ways to market your brand –  or a specific line of products – is to offer promotional deals that leave shoppers feeling as though they are getting bang for their buck.   One type […]

5 Steps to Managing the Bag Ban

The National Retail Association has partnered with the Queensland Government to help retailers navigate the new compliance issues, find alternative bag solutions, and to help retailers manage consumer sentiment to minimise negative impacts on their businesses. The Queensland bag ban will affect all retailers who currently use lightweight, single-use plastic bags, including HDPE plastic, biodegradable, compostable, and degradable […]

QLD Retailers: Are you prepared for the Bag Ban?

The Queensland Bag Ban Legislation The Queensland Government has passed the Waste Reduction and Recycling Amendment Bill 2017 which will forbid retailers from providing or selling lightweight plastic bags (known as single-use singlet bags) from 1 July 2018. To ensure consistency for the retail sector, Queensland will adopt a similar law to South Australia, the Australian Capital […]

Plastic bag ban good for business

Endangered wildlife, starving coral and plastic bags – why we’re backing the Qld Govt’s stand against pollution Deloitte economists have this week flagged Queensland’s prized Great Barrier Reef as ‘too big to fail’, with a total asset value of more than $56 billion, or more than 12 times that of the Sydney Opera House. Unfortunately, the […]

WorkCover Qld offers discount for apprentice employers

QUEENSLAND As part of the Queensland Government’s attempts to drive jobs for younger workers and training in skilled work, WorkCover Queensland is offering employers of apprentices a discount on their insurance premiums. Starting 1 July 2017, employers who employ at least one apprentice can save on their insurance premiums by declaring how much they expect […]

Sunday trading coming to Warwick and Stanthorpe from July

Major stores in Warwick and Stanthorpe will be able to trade on Sundays and public holidays from next month, following a landmark decision handed down by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.  The QIRC ruled in favour of parallel applications brought by the NRA for the two centres, saying Sunday trading would boost employment, increase consumer […]

Back to Work and $20,000 Youth Boost expanding to South East QLD

QUEENSLAND The Queensland State Government Budget today announced an extra $77.5 million for an expanded Back to Work jobs program, which will now include South East Queensland from 1 July. Employment and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said there was an extra $27.5 million in the Budget to provide similar support to employers in the […]

Retailers work alongside State Government on plastic bag ban roll-out as Bill goes to Parliament

QUEENSLAND The National Retail Association has partnered with the Palaszczuk Government to guide Queensland retailers through the State’s impending ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, as legislation is introduced to Parliament today. Chief Executive Dominique Lamb said the NRA was preparing to launch a campaign to raise awareness across the sector and among consumers, and […]

Retailers work alongside state Government on plastic bag ban roll-out

The National Retail Association has partnered with the Palaszczuk Government in an initiative to guide Queensland retailers through the State’s impending ban on single-use plastic shopping bags. In support of the new legislation that plans to tackle shopping bag litter, the NRA will launch an awareness campaign aiming to inform both the retail sector and […]

Retailers back Queensland Government on red tape reduction

trading hours

The National Retail Association today backed the Queensland Government’s call for Parliament to pass its sensible reforms to the state’s retail trading laws. NRA Chief Executive Officer Dominique Lamb said business owners were tired of politicians paying lip service to cutting red tape, but failing to act when the opportunity was presented to them. “The […]

Message from the CEO: 11 April 2017

Dominique Lamb CEO National Retail Association

What a heartbreaking fortnight it has been for so many of you on the east coast of Australia. We have seen family homes, local schools, roads and local businesses decimated in many communities throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. We want to iterate that we are here to assist those of you who’ve been […]