The state government has approved an extension of WA’s Sunday trading hours in the lead to Christmas.
Retails stores will be able to trade between 8am and 6pm for the three Sundays before Christmas, starting from December 8, as well as on Boxing day.
“The extra four hours for general retail shops is a significant extension of the current 11am to 5pm trading times for Sunday,” Commerce Minister Michael Mischin said.
“The additional hours will give all retailers large and small the opportunity to cater for greater demand from shoppers during the busy Christmas trading period and also provide customers with greater convenience, choice and flexibility.”
The Minister said the government was pleased to support the proposal by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, City of Perth, the business community, shopping centre managers, and large and small retailers to extend Christmas trading hours.
Mischin said the move was consistent with the government’s policy of gradual and incremental relaxation of retail trading restrictions.
“This extension, together with 9pm weekday trading, which the government introduced three years ago, means there will be significantly more hours available for shopping this Christmas,” he said.
“While the retail sector has been doing it tough in recent years, we are committed to giving Perth retailers the greatest opportunity to maximise their sales this Christmas and get their new year off to a good start.”
Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the Australian Retailers Association, said the retail body was pleased to hear that retailers in WA are now able to trade from 8am to 6pm for the three Sundays prior to Christmas and 8am to 6pm on Boxing Day.
“While this is a step in the right direction, further reform is needed to allow retailers to sell the products and services their customers want, when it best meets their needs. The ARA urges the WA Government to make these changes permanent across all Sundays and public holidays,” Zimmerman said.
“Relaxing trading hour restrictions over the Christmas period will certainly encourage shoppers to open their wallets, but this initiative needs to be made permanent. Retailers are competing with increasing numbers of online retailers who are open 24/7, and if we don’t see further reform in the near future, we may see more and more retailers closing their doors for good.”
