INDUSTRY NEWS
NATIONAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA
South Australia - Trading Hours MGA together with SAIR have been strongly opposed to further trading hours deregulation or liberalisation in South Australia.
South Australia is the “home” of the independent and family-owned business operator, none more so evident than in grocery and supermarket businesses. The two corporate supermarket chains, together with the Hardware giant, have been pushing the Marshall Government to further deregulate trading hours knowing there will not be an additional sale generated or additional employment opportunity provided. Sales in groceries and hardware will simply be supplanted from the family businesses, who pro-rata provide more jobs in the state than the chains and reinvest their profits back in SA, to the Chains whose profits leave the state for other capital cities. The Marshall Government will continue to campaign for greater freedom of choice in shop trading right up until the next election in March, with the popular reform critical to further turbocharge the state’s ongoing COVID-19 recovery. This will not be a turbocharging of the economy, rather it will spell doom to the thousands of family and private businesses that make up the backbone of South Australia’s economy and culture. Leader of the SA Labor Party, Peter Malinauskas, strongly opposed the deregulation of trading hours in favour of supporting local SA owned businesses who generate a valuable ecosystem and make significant contributions within the communities in which they trade. The Marshall Government must realise that it is the SA family owned and independent supermarket operator who supports the local growers, fresh and gourmet foods, as well as beverages. It is our sector which promotes local innovation and provides the initial distribution channels to consumers for them to try the new products which start up food and beverage businesses have developed. Where else would they go? To the chains who charge exorbitant ranging fees and support house brands over any other brand on their shelves?
No - they will always be supported by the SA independent supermarket sector. Business SA CEO Martin Haese has voiced his organisation’s support for the prosperity of SA local businesses over the power and might of the corporate chains wishing to deregulate trading hours. Aside from some common-sense Adelaide CBD and tourist precinct trading hours for Rundle Mall and the inner city, Business SA is not supportive of wide-ranging trading hours deregulation. MGA will continue to work with and SAIR to oppose any further deregulation of trading hours in SA.
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