Albany holds out as largest local government without year-round Sunday trading ahead of third consultation

Twelve years on from Sunday retail trading becoming the norm in the Perth metropolitan area, the City of Albany is the largest local government in WA to so far resist its own change. Sunday trading officially became allowable in the metropolitan area when changes to WA Retail Trading Hours Act came into effect in August 2012. Changes to the Act did not impact regional areas, but 29 regional local governments have now approved variations to allow for Sunday trading in some capacity. Discussion about deregulating retail trading in Albany hours created division within the community in 2012, but failed to reach a definitive resolution despite a year of debate. It means Albany and the City of Karratha, which has a population half that of Albany’s, are the only two WA cities without year-round Sunday trading for general retail. Neighbouring shires of Denmark and Plantagenet each allow Sunday trading, as does Manjimup further to the west and Katanning in the upper Great Southern. Consultation over the coming month and in the lead-up to Albany council’s decision later in the year is set to stir up many of the same arguments raised by both sides of the debate in 2012. Those in favour of permanently extended trading hours will argue a lack of Sunday trading is hampering natural growth opportunities, while those against will argue Sunday trading will have a significant negative impact on small businesses. According to .id, there were 213 retail traders in Albany last year. Of those, 76 had no employees, 72 had one to four employees, 53 had 5-19 employees and just 12 had 20-199. The Act allows certified small retail shops — those with fewer than 25 people working at once, owned by no more than six people and with no more than four outlets — to operate any day of the year, meaning most retailers in Albany can already trade on Sunday. Trading hours for restaurants, cafes, takeaway food shops and short-term markets are not covered by the Act and several special retail shops follow similar guidelines to small retail shops. Regional WA local governments with Sunday trading in some capacity: