In a South Australian first, all suburban shops regardless of their size or location will be permitted to open on the Labour Day public holiday (Monday, 4 October).
South Australian Treasurer the Hon. Rob Lucas, MLC, has declared an exemption which gives all non-exempt shops in the Metropolitan shopping District and Glenelg Tourist Precinct (the Adelaide suburban area) the opportunity to trade from 11am and 5pm. The Exemption Notice has been published in the South Australian Government Gazette.
The National Retail Association has worked closely with the SA Government to pass the exemption to give consumers more freedom of choice in their shopping and give brick-and-mortar businesses the opportunity to trade. Retailers agree that this will be a much-needed boost to sales during the continued hardship and economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Importantly, stores should not feel compelled to trade these additional hours. For those who choose to do so, all employees working during these extended hours will do so on a strictly voluntary basis.