CEO welcome

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control in many parts of the world, it is safe to say that Australia at present is indeed the lucky country.

As I write this welcome article, all states and territories around Australia are mostly going about their normal daily lives, albeit in a cautionary COVID-19 safe manner. Masks are still required to be worn in taxis, hospitals, medical practices, aged care facilities and public transport; social distancing is still to be practised, and hygiene processes and systems continue to be practised at home and in the workplace. COVID-19 has changed the way we live forever.

Despite the pandemic, which commenced in February 2020, family and privately owned supermarkets, bottle shops and timber and hardware businesses have continued to trade and serve their communities. Lockdowns, shutdowns and many public movement restrictions have forced consumers to shop local. This has been a fantastic revelation for local businesses and consumers alike as they both discover each other again and realise the value a local relationship has for the communities in which they trade and reside.

Members have employed more people and offered additional hours to staff to meet the increased local customer foot traffic.

The resultant increased sales have enabled family businesses to invest back into their businesses to lift their store and business offer and create an exceptional shopping experience to meet the powerful competition of Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Bunnings. Now the pandemic is subsiding we independents must work even harder to keep our new and existing customers as the large corporations ramp up their marketing and advertising.

MGA TMA has been incredibly busy attending to many state and federal matters that affect all MGA TMA members around Australia. It has been difficult for MGA TMA to keep up with the increased advocacy demands as the federal and state governments request consultancy time from MGA TMA.

Matters MGA TMA is attending to at a federal level include working with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to vary the General Retail Industry Award to accommodate Permanent Part-Time (PPT) worker flexibility to allow MGA TMA members to offer additional hours to PPT workers at the ordinary rate of pay, Partnering with the FWC to develop a “loaded rates” model for those small businesses wishing to simplify their pay structure with a weekday and weekend rate of pay. The Annual Wage Review was submitted in March with a recommendation for a ZERO % wage increase given the COVID uncertainty. We are engaging with the FWC to include the new legislated definition of a casual worker into the Award, as well as giving the FWC reason as to why domestic violence leave should not be a new employer obligation but a social matter dealt with by the Commonwealth Government. JobKeeper, JobSeeker, and JobMaker government relief schemes have also been under review. Other federal matters MGA TMA is dealing with, all at the same time, are illicit tobacco (costing our industry $300m in sales PA), the ACCC Inquiry into the Payment Platform Amalgamation and the risk to competition and passing on of efficient and cost-effective merchant payment fee mechanisms to our members such as Least Cost Routing and through the ACCC, MGA opposing the Woolworths acquisition of national food service distributor PFD which is a creeping acquisition in MGA’s view and will lead to the lessening of competition.

At a state level, many post-COVID-19 issues continue to arise and are diverse by nature, requiring a breadth of MGA TMA experience and application. Matters include trading hours liberalisation, packaged liquor regulations, tobacco regulations, Container Deposit Schemes(CDS), banning of single-use plastic items, planning and zoning, rent relief for distressed businesses, reducing payroll tax burdens, and so the list goes on.

MGA TMA has significantly invested in a joint venture company named Australian Circular Economy Solutions.

All MGA TMA members must realise that they have a responsibility within their communities to lessen their carbon footprint, to help reduce their energy consumption and to divert all waste from landfill, not only to save our planet but save enormous waste management costs.

All state governments are drastically increasing waste levies that will be passed on to all businesses who continue to dispose of their waste to landfill. MGA TMA has embarked upon a once in a generation opportunity that will benefit all parts of our industry sector by developing a sustainable supermarket, bottle shop and timber and hardware business programme.

A programme that will save business owners money and something they can be proud of as they make a significant contribution to lessening their CO2 emissions and turning their waste into reusable and recyclable materials.

Members are strongly encouraged to contact the MGA ACES team for more advice or next steps to participate.

Keep up the great work, everyone – good trading. Jos de Bruin CEO MGA Independent Retailers