Basil Zempilas has put extended shopping hours back on the political agenda, promising to do what Roger Cook refuses to do – modernise Perth’s outdated shopping laws if, he becomes Premier.
In his address to the Seven West Media’s Leadership Matters Breakfast on Monday, Mr Zempilas will paint Mr Cook as a Premier beholden to unions – not willing to take on the powerful Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association which vehemently opposes more shopping hours for Perth.
At the very least, Mr Zempilas believes shops in Perth on a Sunday should be allowed to open at 8am, three hours earlier than the current mark of 11am, in an effort to modernise the WA capital.
“We will change Perth’s restrictive and outdated Sunday trading laws,” Mr Zempilas will say in his speech.
“Perth is the only mainland capital city where major retailers are prevented from opening at 8am on a Sunday.”
In WA shopping hours in the Perth metropolitan area are decided by the State Government.
The Opposition will attempt to re-ignite public debate on shopping hours in the WA Parliament by introducing its own private members’ bill on the matter.
“This year, we’ll introduce a private members’ bill to let stores in Perth open earlier – at 8am - on a Sunday morning,” Mr Zempilas says.
“It’s time that Labor supported this.
“It’ll give you more choice and more convenience about when you want to shop.
“You will have the full suite of choices about where to shop on a Sunday morning, rather than potentially paying more at a limited number of stores that can currently open.
“It will also give workers, particularly casual workers, the opportunity to earn more money with additional hours.
“And it’ll ensure Perth shopping hours reflect the modern city we want to be.”
A Liberal Government would also allow 24-hour trading on Black Friday each year - one of the biggest online sales days of the year.
“Retailers who choose to participate will be able to open from one minute past midnight and trade right through until midnight that evening,” Mr Zempilas will say.
“It’s a practical change that will help local businesses compete, create additional work opportunities and keep more retail spending here in Western Australia.
“Like extended Christmas trading hours, this exemption will be implemented through regulations.”
In country WA, trading hours are decided by councils.
In Perth, general trading hours are 8am to 9pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays.
Despite the Cook Government espousing Perth as a modern capital city, retailers on a Sunday can’t open their doors till 11am and must close by 5pm.
The Business Council of Australia last year ranked WA’s retail trading hours the worst in the country, at No. 8.
Labor is refusing to budge on more shopping hours for Perth despite calls from prominent business leaders, like Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott - and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA as well as the Australian Retailers Association - for the antiquated shopping laws to be modernised.
“CCIWA welcomes the commitment from the Opposition to allow shops to open from 8am on Sunday mornings,” CCIWA Chief Economist Dr Daniel Kiely said yesterday.
“It’s a common-sense move that gives families more flexibility to shop when they want and allows businesses to decide what works for them.
“Bricks and mortar businesses are in competition with online retailers, who are open 24/7, and times are tough.
“Fixing our archaic Sunday trading restrictions will bring Perth into line with every other major city in the country, and create more foot traffic for small businesses around larger retailers.
“We continue to urge the Government to reexamine Sunday trading.”
Mr Zempilas said Mr Cook was owned by the unions.
“Roger Cook is a union man, he was put in by the unions, and he is being dictated to by the unions,” Mr Zempilas says.
“We’ve seen increased union activity in the Pilbara on his watch, we’ve seen it in the construction sector and we’ve seen it in his refusal to budge on shopping hours.”
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