Treasurer Mike Baird favours allowing all shops to open on Boxing Day

Date
    March 13, 2014


Treasurer Mike Baird is committed to allowing all shops to open on Boxing Day, despite protest rallies staged by church and union leaders who believe the move will lead to retail staff being forced to work on Christmas Day and Easter.             

Mr Baird said his plan would bring NSW into line with other states and would remove inconsistencies in areas designated as tourist trading precincts. This has meant towns such as Shellharbour can open on public holidays but nearby Wollongong cannot. Similarly, shops in Maitland can trade on public holidays but those in Newcastle are prevented.      

Mr Baird said the loss of trade for shops not included in designated zones was discriminatory and gave some retailers an unfair competitive advantage.




"It makes no sense that around a third of the state can trade on Boxing Day following exemptions for 'tourist trading precincts' approved by previous governments, but the rest cannot,'' he said.      


Christian Democrats leader Fred Nile said he had been ''sounded out'' about the government proposal, but would not support it in the upper house. ''We don't want to give them an inch,'' Mr Nile said.

Ministers of religion and union leaders presented Mr Nile with a letter they have jointly signed that asks Premier Barry O'Farrell to guarantee that retail trading hours will not be extended to include Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Boxing Day and Anzac Day. Ministers from the Anglican, Catholic, Uniting and Baptist churches and representatives of Wesley Mission and the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association have signed the open letter.

''This is about the freedom of families to spend time together,'' the Reverend Keith Garner of the Wesley Mission said. ''We are only talking about four and a half days that we want to preserve.''

Gerard Dwyer, NSW branch secretary for the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, said workers are concerned that the federal government is considering seeking an agreement to introduce uniform trading hours across the country. ''At the core of these public holidays are people's families and friends,'' he said. ''The economic case has not been made for opening trade on Easter Sunday. We can have good post-Christmas sales on December 27.''

Hundreds of retail and warehouse workers rallied at Australian Technology Park on Wednesday as part of the "Take the Time" campaign to improve work/life balance.

Mr Baird said no employee would be forced to work on Boxing Day but the government was ''determined to resolve this impasse to create a level playing field across the state''.

The NSW government introduced a bill in 2012 to extend retail trading hours but was forced to withdraw it because of a lack of support in the upper house.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/treasurer-mike-baird-favours-allowing-all-shops-to-open-on-boxing-day-20140312-34mkk.html#ixzz2vmgOa7uX

Crook,   stop hitting us with this negative vibe dude  .

You need to become a glass half full kind of guy.

Could i suggest joining the liberal party, opening a small business you are passionate about, growing the business, recieving a community award , having your grandchildren sit on your knee and telling them stories about how, through courage and determination, crook became a success.

I will send you the phone numbers of some good "life coaches."

One day you might and you want to be able to tell them stories about all the great things you accomplished as a patriotic small business owner.

they wont want to hear stories about penalty rates and workchoices.

Aim for the stars my friend.
Dont let those negative leftie shop stewards drag you down

aquascoot wrote on Mar 13^th, 2014 at 7:19am:


hes the classic 40yo virgin.

When I worked for the government I had to work on any holiday that was required.

When I worked for myself I had to work and day that was required, I dont see a problem.

miketrees wrote on Mar 13^th, 2014 at 7:42am:


So, are you telling us that no-one (especially lower paid workers, who would probably be the majority of those affected by this) should be entitled to Public Holidays?

Quote:


Yes, then changed his mind and took it to an election. Something that gutless wonder Gillard would never and did never do.

I thought they were?

Boxing day sales......where do the have them?

Anyway Boxing day means only one thing - The cricket is on at the MCG (oh my is the MCG open on boxing day?) Oi Oi Oi