The Albanese government’s plan to hold a productivity roundtable in Canberra this August has received strong support from retail associations.

The discussion will be led by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, with experts, unions and business leaders convening to brainstorm ideas to improve economic growth. 

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the National Retail Association (NRA) have shown strong support for this initiative. 

ARA CEO Chris Rodwell said the discussion would be especially relevant for the retail sector, which employs 1.4 million Australians, making it the largest private sector employer in the country. 

“In retail, competition has never been so fierce,” said Rodwell. 

“Disruptive, ultra-low cost operators, such as Temu and Shein, are growing at pace in this market, operating outside the legal commitments of local homegrown retailers in areas such as tax, employment and sustainability.”

In a National Press Club address, Albanese said the discussion would prioritise faster housing and energy approvals, a better skills system, more user-friendly government services, and regulation to balance the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence.

“In the face of this disruption, Australia’s inclination has been to add to regulation, not to repeal it,” said Rodwell of the adoption of AI in the sector.

“Sadly, we have climbed a summit of ‘peak’ regulation and firmly planted an Australian flag on it.”
 
Rodwell warned against the mountain of regulation that retailers have to navigate, saying that although the government see it as flagging economic performance, retailers view it as the cost of doing business, while workers see it as decreased job opportunities. 

“Regrettably, Australians see the cost at the checkout,” said Rodwell.