Premier promises to bring WA into the 21st century on trading hours
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The state government will go to the next election with a policy of deregulating trading hours. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)
The State Government will deregulate trading hours if it is re-elected at the next state poll.
The Premier, Alan Carpenter, has told the ABC deregulated trading hours will be a key Labor Party platform heading into the next State election.
Moves to deregulate trading hours were rejected in a referendum in 2005.
The Nationals' MP Terry Redman moved a motion in Parliament yesterday calling on the government to guarantee it would not change its policy.
" I think the two main parties should be a little cautious in taking that to an election because the people have clearly spoken," he said.
But Mr Carpenter says the question that was put in the referendum was confusing and encouraged people to say no.
He says West Australians will decide the issue on polling day.
"We will go to the next election with a policy of deregulating our trading hours, modernising our economy, bring Western Australia into the 21st century on this issue and it's then up to the people of Western Australia whether they want to support us."
The election is due by early next year, but could be held at the end of this year.
The chairman of Harvey Norman, Gerry Harvey, says the move to deregulate trading hours cannot come soon enough.
"It's about time and I'm very pleased to hear that because I've been fighting this fight since about the early 1960's and we have deregulated trading hours in every state of Australia, except Western Australia," he said.
The Independent Grocers Association says it remains opposed to extended trading hours.
Spokesman John Cummings says deregulating trading hours would decrease competition and push up prices.
""If there is less competition in Western Australia what will prices in Woolworths and Coles do? They certainly won't go down, they will at least go up to the prices that they are charging in Sydney," he said.
The National Party says it will continue to support regional retailers in opposing any deregulation of trading hours.
The Liberal Leader, Troy Buswell, says the party has yet to formulate the policy it will take to the next election, but he concedes the existing trading laws are a mess.
"My view is that the current retail trading regime in this state is a complete dog's breakfast and that it does need to be reformed," he said.
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