As federal election campaigns of parties large and small gather momentum, retailers will be interested in what’s in it for them. Hopefully, the May 18 result brings a government with enough balance of power to get cracking on what’s good for the company – and good for retail.
In the meantime, the National Retailers Association is committed to working with governments of all types to ensure retail’s position and importance in the Australian economy is recognised and reinforced.
While much attention is on the federal election, retailers continue to be affected by state laws and budgets and our work at that level continues to press for better working environments for retailers.
With consumer confidence still quite fragile, retailers need a stable regulatory environment that gives businesses a better chance of managing their cash flow.
Generally, the NRA wants to see any measures that offer state or federal tax rebates for small or medium sized businesses to be extended beyond any any limited trial period to a longer-term offer.
The retail sector is the second largest employment sector in the country. Retail employs large numbers of skilled and unskilled workers and contains a relatively high number of young people, many of whom have just entered the labour market.
The NRA will continue to press for opportunities for retailers to play a stronger role in developing the skills of its workforce, particularly in regional areas.
Crime is also an issue that affects retail’s bottom line. We will also continue to seek involvement from governments of all shapes and sizes, from councils, state governments and the federal government, to find ways to better connect retailers with police through our SafeCity Networks.