ACT businesses set to benefit from draconian NSW retail laws

Correction:

dvaey said :

Youre not the only one wondering why these laws are exclusively Christian-based.

This article wants us to be like Lebanon. No thanks.

dvaey said :

Youre not the only one wondering why these laws are exclusively Christian-based.

This article wants us to be like Lebanon. No thanks.

Hells_Bells74 said :

Two-faced Govt really, they will not allow Christianity/God/Religion (fair enough) in their schools/mandates/legislation but they go pull a stunt like this over 3 Christian holiday’s shopping times ffs (and 1 I have no idea, I’m sure it was also Christian related). I am still wondering where all the Muslim/Jewish/Hindu holidays are and why can’t I have them off (or not if I work retail/hospitality, just like Christians here do) too?

Youre not the only one wondering why these laws are exclusively Christian-based.

Clown Killer said :

I doubt that we’re going to see much out of this. My understanding is that small businesses are automatically exempt from these new rules so it will only effect the big retailers.

You also missed that it only effects the big retailers outside of Sydney and Newcastle, dont wanna piss the biggest electorates in the state off. Retailers in Sydney and Newcastle are exempted, as well as small businesses.

I doubt that we’re going to see much out of this. My understanding is that small businesses are automatically exempt from these new rules so it will only effect the big retailers.

If you took an example like Bunnings I’d say they’re probably already closed on Christmas Day, Good Friday and the first half of ANZAC day.

Ralph said :

Indeed, another restraint on our freedoms.

Silly me. I thought that freedom was about the right to free speech, the absence of outward restraints, freedom of thought, religious practice, the press and the freedom to modify one’s outward circumstances.

Turns out it was actually all about shopping.

Westfield malls are what you get when you let the free market dictate trading hours. Many small businesses are not viable with those hours – the kind of specialty shops or start-ups that don’t have the sales turnover to hire staff and pay high penalty rates. If we deregulate completely, we’ll end up with nothing but malls full of chain stores. It’s only 4 days a year, perhaps if the whingers spent more time with their family and friends they wouldn’t feel the need to fill the empty void in their lives with yet more shopping for cheap imported rubbish that will probably be thrown into landfill the following week.

Two-faced Govt really, they will not allow Christianity/God/Religion (fair enough) in their schools/mandates/legislation but they go pull a stunt like this over 3 Christian holiday’s shopping times ffs (and 1 I have no idea, I’m sure it was also Christian related). I am still wondering where all the Muslim/Jewish/Hindu holidays are and why can’t I have them off (or not if I work retail/hospitality, just like Christians here do) too?

Nah just jk, wouldn’t want them, the crap ideals I have, are enough for me to deal with.

Jerry Atric said :

If you are so worried about the lonely single who needs to work to find company, invite him or her round for a meal and a chat, or a picnic and some backyard cricket.

…as someone who lives two states away from my family and cannot always get home to see them on those special days…I like the way you think.

Unions.

I think that there should be a law so that all shops and banks are open until 8pm every night so that every so that everyone can do their shopping and banking after work… Unless you work for a bank or shop…

Really though, why pick those specific days? Why not Australia Day, or ANZAC day, or talk like a pirate day? Did the NSW gov’t actually do some sort of study, or just pull the dates from their dates?

Indeed, another restraint on our freedoms.

Why do we need to legislate when the free market can decide?

How stupid. People should be allowed to shop whenever and wherever they like and businesses should be able to open whenever they like. Why should they be forced to shut just because the date on the calendar is printed in red or blue instead of black? It’s a bit passe to be shocked at some of the things the outgoing NSW government gets up to but this even surpasses such gems as Orange Grove and the Cross City Tunnel. All I can say is “thank god it’s not us”.

I expect there will be exemptions that allow trade for service stations and take-away food on those days, so people can still drive long distance to visit family.

It’s only big retailers who would justify the extra cost and hassle of getting staff on those days so they could get the extra sales. And frankly, with the profit margins they’ve already got, big retailers don’t need the 4 extra days of trade.

The issue is not that these are holidays on a Christian calendar but whether we really NEED to offer up sacrifices 365 days a year to the indifferent god of commerce who returns our oblations with debt, stress and an intolerable load of things we don’t really need.

If you are so worried about the lonely single who needs to work to find company, invite him or her round for a meal and a chat, or a picnic and some backyard cricket.

Sundays without work or shopping used to seem boring until they took them away from us.