BUSINESSES in regional NSW will finally be able to open on Boxing Day, and local business owners are expecting shoppers to vote with their feet.
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New legislation passed through the state government on Tuesday night, allows all shops across NSW to open on Boxing Day – but no employee can be forced to work and no shop can be forced to open.
Tamworth Business Chamber president Lia Mahony isn’t sure how local punters will react to the changes, but expects the “proof will be in the Christmas pudding”.
Ms Mahony said it was pleasing that businesses owners and employees had the option to stay at home and spend time with their families.
“The benefit of the Boxing Day trading legislation is shoppers can vote with their feet,” she said.
“If the shoppers want it and turn up to trade, then I think business will take advantage of that. No business can be forced to open and no employee forced to work – and I think that’s important.”
Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray said the legislation was a sensible approach to the changing consumer market.
“It’s a good initiative where staff have the option to opt out if they want and business can stay closed if they wish,” Cr Murray said.
Under previous laws, Boxing Day was a restricted shop trading day in NSW, meaning only exempt stores, or those within certain local government areas or within the Sydney trading precinct, were allowed to operate.
NSW Treasurer and Industrial Relations Minister Gladys Berejiklian said the legislation wouldl create a level playing field for retailers and jobs.
“For small-business owners and local communities, this means local dollars in local shops,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The opportunity for local shops to open their doors for such a major day of trading cannot be underestimated.”
National Retail Association NSW director Michael Lonie said regional retailers would no longer be at an unfair disadvantage to their city counterparts.
“For the first time, local retailers around all regional areas will, this year, see cash running through their tills on one of the most important days in the retail calendar,” Mr Lonie said.
“These new laws are all about creating a simplified and consistent set of trading hour zones, where there has previously been a number of different, confusing and very complex trading hour zones.”
NSW is the latest jurisdiction to deregulate retail trading laws on Boxing Day, joining Victoria, WA, Tasmania, the ACT, the NT and many parts of Queensland.
