Coast businesses and pollies have a say on penalty rates

Hannah Baker | 4th Jan 2016
Fraser Coast Chronicle



BUSINESSES on the Fraser Coast struggling to open their doors on Sundays have welcomed calls made by the Productivity Commission to reduce weekend penalty rates for staff.   :(

For retail business owner Nettie Sutherland, who operates her women's clothing business from the Stockland Hervey Bay Shopping Centre, employing staff on a Sunday was not an option because of the costs.

Retail shop businesses are currently slugged with casual Sunday staff penalty rates of at least $37.98 an hour (based on flat rates of $23.74 applicable throughout the week).

"I am the only one to work Sundays as it is too expensive to put someone on," Ms Sutherland said.

The Productivity Commission's latest and final report was released in late December and said Sunday penalty rates were "excessive".

It stated small-to-medium sized businesses have had trouble transitioning to seven-day-trading.

That is all-too familiar for Maryborough business owner Shuping Pang, who runs Crepe Club six days a week.

"The (Sunday) rate is too high and we cannot afford it," she said. Ms Pang said she thought Sunday penalty rates weakened an already struggling economy, by forcing small businesses to shut up shop on the day's staff employment was too costly.

She said the local unemployment rate could be helped if penalty rates dropped and businesses could afford to open on Sunday.

Staff at Urangan's Bayswater Hotel said a loss in weekly earnings could hit employee hip-pockets hard. 

Apprentice cook Michael Gibbs, 22, said he wouldn't like to work Sunday's if penalty rates were reduced.

"Sunday rates are the reason everyone loves working Sunday," he said.

"It helps out financially."

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders said the idea to reduce the wages of those working in minimum wage jobs was "bad".

"(It is about) driving down people's wages and working people already have it very tough," Mr Saunders said.   :(

"Where do we go from here... and where does it stop?"

He also said reduced earning capacity for low income earners could negatively affect local businesses in the long term, which defeated the purpose of reducing Sunday penalty rates.

Mr Saunders said those affected would be less likely to "shop local", preferring to spend dollars at multi-national companies that are able to stock foods and products at cheaper prices.

It is very evident that the number of employees willing to work Saturdays and Sundays is very limited if there is no inducement from penalty rates.

Apprentice cook Michael Gibbs, 22, said he wouldn't like to work Sunday's if penalty rates were reduced.

"Sunday rates are the reason everyone loves working Sunday," he said.   ;)

My heart bleeds for the proprietor forced to work on Sunday... must be missing out on the lady's volleyball on ABC...

As before - you want the business and you want it to work for you - you work Sunday yourself and take another day off.  Not hard.

It seems the business owners want Sunday off.... that, of course is time to spend with family and go to the footie or whatever..... but not for their workers.....

Not very surprising how many people who get to increases their share of the take are pleased about this.

What it won't do is create any more jobs

but it will boost the owners pockets

by cutting peoples wages ....

and the lowest paid workers at that

I think that what should happen to help business

is for Local, State & Federal Govt to reduce fees, taxes & rates that are applied to small businesses

& that the high cost of rents/leases be looked at

not look at attacking workers wages & weekend penalty rates

if a business cannot afford to week end pay penalty rates then the owner should do it themselves... or take a look at your business plan as it's flawed.

Sun Tzu wrote on Jan 5^th, 2016 at 6:37pm:

It is very evident that the number of employees willing to work Saturdays and Sundays is very limited if there is no inducement from penalty rates.

There are penalty rates numbskull...

how did Dick Smith go with those high penalty rates?

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 6:27am:

how did Dick Smith go with those high penalty rates?

Quote:

DICK Smith has issued a spray at the private equity firm that floated the electronics store he founded, which is now in voluntary administration. The outspoken entrepreneur said the previous owner, Anchorage Capital Partners, had “a lot of explaining to do” over its $520 million IPO, which he argued was drastically overvalued. And he called on those who benefited to step up and guarantee customers the money they are owed for deposits, gift cards and undelivered goods. “They most certainly should be refunded,” Mr Smith told news.com.au. “Some of the people who made a fortune out of the recent float, they should pay back those people who’ve put down deposits. “The company could not possibly afford to be that indebted, or have that value on the market.” Anchorage bought Dick Smith Electronics from Woolworths for $94 million in 2012, then floated it for $520 million just 15 months later. http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/dick-smith-customers-left-out-of-pocket-on-undelivered-goods-lost-deposits-and-gift-cards/news-story/9ac8c747337216347be7e81e24b90155

If you keep making that claim about everything one day it might be relevant but probably not.

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 6:27am:

how did Dick Smith go with those high penalty rates?

What has happened to Dick Smith has absolutely nothing to do with penalty rates.

It has to do with a private equity company selling $500 million in shares in $40 million dollar company.

Gnads wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 7:32am:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 6:27am: how did Dick Smith go with those high penalty rates? What has happened to Dick Smith has absolutely nothing to do with penalty rates. It has to do with a private equity company selling $500 million in shares in $40 million dollar company.

And you can bet that $500m is safely salted away somewhere..... Gordon Gecko would be proud.....

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 6:27am:

how did Dick Smith go with those high penalty rates?

Penalty rates had nothing to do with the collapse of Dick Smith.

crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic.
if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 9:21am:

crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast

https://digidame.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/20130430-225632.jpg

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 9:21am:

crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast

They are closing the crossing and putting up signs saying sorry go somewhere else this week. Monday to Friday work.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 9:24am:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:21am: crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast https://digidame.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/20130430-225632.jpg

not a stupid idea at all.

sunday.

1000 work for the dole recipients with shovels and picks

you could play bible sermons on a loop to inspire them whilst they work.

they get fit, form great friendships, learn about religious traditions, and get a sense of contribution by making society a safer place.

this is truly a win/win/win/win/win idea.

Steven Covey would be proud of me

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 9:36am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:24am: aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:21am: crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast https://digidame.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/20130430-225632.jpg not a stupid idea at all. sunday. 1000 work for the dole recipients with shovels and picks you could play bible sermons on a loop to inspire them whilst they work. they get fit, form great friendships, learn about religious traditions, and get a sense of contribution by making society a safer place. this is truly a win/win/win/win/win idea. Steven Covey would be proud of me

You should seek help.

The answer to this conundrum is to re-introduce slavery.

Enslave a few truckloads of closet poms and an iron lung for each, and, voila.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 9:38am:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:36am: greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:24am: aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:21am: crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast https://digidame.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/20130430-225632.jpg not a stupid idea at all. sunday. 1000 work for the dole recipients with shovels and picks you could play bible sermons on a loop to inspire them whilst they work. they get fit, form great friendships, learn about religious traditions, and get a sense of contribution by making society a safer place. this is truly a win/win/win/win/win idea. Steven Covey would be proud of me You should seek help.

i seek TO help.

such an opportunity gone to waste
instead of Abbotts "green ' army, we could have the "concrete army".
The work for the dole concretors would learn valuable new skills.
they could transfer these skills to build a slab and a shed at their own place to enhance their social circle.
Why are you so against an obvious win win win

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2016 at 11:39am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:38am: aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:36am: greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:24am: aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2016 at 9:21am: crook, most level crossing would need to be fixed on sundays when there is less commuter traffic. if we got rid of penalty rates , we could do them twice as fast https://digidame.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/20130430-225632.jpg not a stupid idea at all. sunday. 1000 work for the dole recipients with shovels and picks you could play bible sermons on a loop to inspire them whilst they work. they get fit, form great friendships, learn about religious traditions, and get a sense of contribution by making society a safer place. this is truly a win/win/win/win/win idea. Steven Covey would be proud of me You should seek help. i seek TO help. such an opportunity gone to waste instead of Abbotts "green ' army, we could have the "concrete army". The work for the dole concretors would learn valuable new skills. they could transfer these skills to build a slab and a shed at their own place to enhance their social circle. Why are you so against an obvious win win win

This could become Aquascoot's big opportunity to benefit from slavery. Slaves could be frog-marched to Aquascoot's shack and learn to build structures out of horse excrement.