With Anzac Day just around the corner, trading hour restrictions will apply to many states, and NSW liquor retailers in particular will be impacted by the new Anzac Day Trading Hours Bill.
While many liquor retailers will face limited trading hours, approximately 2400 NSW liquor retailers will be impacted by the implementation of the Anzac Day Trading Hours Bill, requiring them to remain closed for the entirety of Anzac Day.
Passed by the NSW Government last year, the Anzac Day Trading Hours Bill creates an unfair playing field between retail liquor outlets of differing sizes and disproportionately effects independent retailers.
Retail Drinks Australia CEO Michael Waters says: “Since this policy was first announced, Retail Drinks has fought hard against the NSW Government’s unfair, discriminatory, and anti-competitive Anzac Day trading restrictions which will see around 80 per cent, or around 2400, of the state’s packaged retail liquor stores forced to close for the entire public holiday, rather than being able to open from 1pm as they have traditionally been able to for many, many years.”
NSW is the only state in Australia where all-day restrictions exist, and according to Waters, approximately 1500 of the affected stores are independently owned and operated small family businesses.
“We continue to proactively engage with the Minister for Industrial Relations and her office on a potential permanent legislative solution, and we continue to proactively engage with the Fair Trading Commissioner, the Small Business Commissioner, and their respective offices on a potential exemption pathway,” Waters continued.
As part of Retail Drinks’ ongoing advocacy, the association has produced a poster for liquor retailers to use in-store, designed to facilitate conversations with customers in the lead up to and after Anzac Day.
“The poster features a QR code that enables customers to support our campaign and importantly, their local impacted business and employees,” says Waters.
“Whilst we’re not likely to see any changes to the Anzac Day trading restrictions this year, Retail Drinks will continue to fight for the rights of our members and the broader packaged retail liquor sector in NSW to be able to retail responsibly and respectfully on this important day for the liquor industry.”