Public Affairs & Policy

The NRA represents the views of retailers and the service sector to governments and policy makers. We take the opportunity of our regular meetings with Ministers and bureaucrats around the country to express the views and concerns of employers.

Politicians, from the Prime Minister down, have attended our meetings and functions. We have also hosted decision makers such as the Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Governor of the Reserve Bank.

Issues such as education and training, industrial relations, trade practices and taxation have all been on the agenda at these discussions.

We can also help on an individual basis if you need an issue raised with a politician or bureaucrat, or if you need submissions made to government or require advice about issues management.

Current Activity

NRA's Submission to the 2011 Minimum Wage Review

Click here to view

Industry Support

NRA has established a scholarship fund to assist eligible retail supervisors and managers acquire a Diploma in Retail Management. Retailers who are members of NRA are eligible to apply on behalf of their employees who are currently serving in supervisory or management positions or who are expected to be promoted to these positions in the short term. For more information about the NRA Scholarship Fund please contact Kristine Skippington

EFTPOS Terminals Security

Merchants in Australia have been warned to be on alert after recent fraud activities targeting EFTPOS terminals. The Australian Payments Clearing Association has prepared guidelines informing merchants of the actions needed to be taken to prevent fraud associated with EFTPOS terminals. Click here to access the guidelines.

NRA Sets Out to Fix Modernisation Anomalies

The National Retail Association (NRA) is Australia’s largest and most representative retail organisation with over 3000 members and affiliates located across all Australian states and territories. Its membership includes the majority of Australia’s national retail chains and extends across the retail take-away food and fast food sectors.

The NRA has applied to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to vary the content of the General Retail Award 2010. NRA’s Executive Director Gary Black says that “the lodgement of the application follows general expressions of concern from across the retail sector at the damage the proposed new award will cause in terms of retailer profitability and viability, and the loss of job opportunities, particularly for young people”.

“NRA and its membership does not accept that the phasing-in of labour cost increases resulting from the operation of the modern award is an appropriate fix for the broken promise that the award modernisation process would not result in increased labour costs.“

Apart from asking the AIRC to revisit prior decisions which have the effect of significantly increasing labour costs, NRA has pointed out “that the modern award discriminates against small business and businesses which do not operate shopping centre hours.“

“NRA has long advocated that the adoption of a Melbourne shopping centre award as the template for the Australian retail sector is entirely inappropriate. There are many retail businesses who trade substantially different hours to shopping centres and these additional or different hours make an important contribution to the success of such businesses and serve particular community needs. Accordingly the modern award should incorporate provisions which reflect the actual operating hours of businesses and not apply a “one size fits all shopping centre model” in the crafting of provisions which employers reasonably expect to reflect a contemporary or modern operating environment.”

“Liquor store operators in NSW are one example. These stores typically trade through until 10pm at night – Monday to Sunday. The current award (NSW Shop Award) specifically recognises these longer and different hours and overtime rates are not payable until after 10pm. In the modern award however overtime is payable after 9pm at night Monday to Friday, and after 6pm on a Saturday and Sunday. “

“Another example is independent supermarkets in Queensland. At present the Queensland award recognises that these businesses trade longer hours and fixes a closing time of 12midnight for ordinary hours. These businesses trade longer hours because larger supermarkets in Queensland close at 9pm and there is a need to service consumers and tourists across longer hours.“

Mr Black said that “the current modern award will force these and many other employers (typically small businesses) to pay significantly higher penalty rates and overtime rates, and the imposition of these additions to labour costs will mean businesses will be less viable and will cut operating hours, reducing employment and curtailing the delivery of important services to consumers in general and where relevant tourists.”

NRA has urged the AIRC to address the discriminatory or anti-small business provisions currently included in the modern award.

NRA is proposing that the AIRC make the following key amendments to the draft award before its release on 1 January 2010:

1. Reduction of the Sunday penalty rate from 200% to 150%;

2. Reduction of the Sunday penalty rate for casual employees so that it mirrors the part time rate. This will mean casuals on Sundays would be paid 150% of the part time rate. Currently the award provides that casuals are paid 225% of the part time rate for work performed on Sundays;

3. Removal of the overtime penalties where part time employees work in excess of their agreed hours;

4. The application of a more sustainable and practical set of classifications for supervisory and shop management levels.

5. An extension of ordinary hours of work for businesses which currently trade outside the ordinary hours prescribed by the award. This would allow ordinary hours to be worked up until 11.00pm, 7 days per week

A copy of the application can be found by clicking here.

Mr Black said that it was important for the AIRC to note that “retailers continue to face a very difficult trading environment. Rising interest rates, job insecurity and the removal of stimulus measures, will directly and negatively impact on the discretionary spend of many consumers going forward. Additionally for many retailers year on year sales are showing a reduction in turnover of between 5% and 10%. This is not an environment in which unbudgeted an unexpected labour cost increases should be imposed on retailers.”

“Young people will be most affected by the revenue and cost pressures on retailers. One in every two young persons relies on retail for employment and the youth unemployment rate at present is around 17%. Less job opportunities for young people is bad news for thousands of young people about to complete schooling and enter the job market.”