NEWCASTLE stores will be allowed to open for trade on Boxing Day after laws passed in parliament overnight.
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The bill passed on Wednesday evening with the support of the Christian Democrats, while retail workers feared last week the looming legislation would rob them of time with family and friends in the Christmas holiday period.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said the legislation would permanently give retailers, employees and consumers the freedom to trade, work and shop on Boxing Day.
He said it was an important win for the Central Coast and the Hunter and placed both regions on equal footing with the rest of NSW.
“The legislation is now uniform across NSW and ensures equal treatment for the regions,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the retail workers union – SDA – has condemned the decision saying the NSW Governemnt had “disregarded clear research, the views of the Newcastle community and opposition from retail workers and most employers.”
“The passing of this legislation will ruin Christmas for workers and their families forcing thousands to work when they should be enjoying time with family and friends. Mums and Dads who should be with their kids will be pressured back to work on Boxing Day,” Barbara Nebart, SDA Northern Branch secretary, said.
Fairfax Media reported this morning that Christian Democrat leader Fred Nile split with church leaders to support the amended proposal, which includes strengthened workers’ workers' rights and harsher punishments for businesses forcing employees to work.
EARLIER, September 13:
The bill to allow Boxing Day trade across the state given a second reading in NSW Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, September 12, after a two-year trial of the change.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said amendments to the Retail Trading Act “allowed all shops and bank branches to open on Boxing Day on the condition that staff freely elected to work without being coerced, harassed, threatened or intimidated”.
“Those reforms gave all parties more choice,” he told Parliament.
“Business owners can now choose to open and reap the benefits of their trade, or they can choose to keep their store closed and spend Boxing Day with family and friends.”
However, the retail workers’ union – SDA – says employees will lose valuable family time in the summer holiday season.
Sandra Turnbull works at a Newcastle discount department store and has been a retail employee for 12 years.
She told Fairfax Media that she worked last Boxing Day because she felt that she had to, after several other staff members requested the day off.
Ms Turnbull said she worked most public holidays and feared the change meant it was only a matter of time before trade was allowed on the rare remaining public holidays that retail employees got off.
“I was asked if I wanted to work Boxing Day a few times over a few days and each time I said ‘we’ll see’ and it eventuated that they had no-one else who could run the department,” she said.
“I was asked again if I might be able to do it, so I agreed. I felt pressured because they had no-one else that they could put on.
“It’s going to have a huge impact on workers – especially workers who have families. I also have children who work in retail and they have also been pressured into working Boxing Day. We just don’t get any time together.”
Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes said the legislation was a positive step.
“The Hunter Business Chamber supports retailers having an option of opening their doors on one of the biggest trading days of the year, provided mechanisms are in place to protect employee choices,” he said.
“It is important that businesses, large and small in this region have the same opportunity to trade on Boxing Day as those in other regional and metro areas otherwise we are just encouraging people to leave the area and spend their money elsewhere.”
Ms Nebart, who then said the issue was “far from done and dusted” said the legislation was bitterly disappointing, adding workers were urging politicians to reject the legislation.
“Our politicians still have a chance to save Christmas, and retail workers from around the Hunter will be urging them to do so,” she said.
Debera Mackenzie, deputy chair of business advocacy group Newcastle Now, said the legislation was excellent news for the region’s retailers.
“Business owners don’t have to trade if they don’t want to and, generally speaking, employees are given the option of whether they want to work,” she said.
A report by the Retail Council – the body representing retailers – that was published in March recommended Boxing Day trade be made permanent across the state.
