Push is on for Sunday trading

By Jeremy Sollars

A hearing into a proposal to allow Sunday and public holiday trading for large retailers in Warwick and Stanthorpe gets under way in Toowoomba tomorrow.
The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) will hear an application from the National Retailers’ Association (NRA) to allow retailers with more than 20 employees on site at any given time to open their doors on Sundays and public holidays.
The application is being supported by the Southern Downs Regional Council and opposed by Spano’s Supa IGA, which operates stores in Warwick and Stanthorpe.
Sunday trading has been a hot topic locally in the past, with some questioning effect of Sunday retail work on families and the overall retail demand for it in this region.
If the application is successful it could mean outlets currently barred from Sunday trading – including Woolworths and Big W and a new Coles planned for Rose City Shoppingworld – could open their doors all weekend.
QIRC Commissioner John Thompson has inspected large retail outlets in both Warwick and Stanthorpe today, Monday 20 February, ahead of the Toowoomba hearing.
Mr Thompson also inspected Warwick’s Morgan Park motorsport and equestrian facility after the council argued in its submission that Morgan Park draws visitors most weekends from out of town who would find Sunday trading convenient.
NRA external relations director Malcolm Cole told the Free Times the hearing could run until Friday but a final decision by the commission was unlikely before the middle of the year.