Policy, Advocacy & Industry Engagement

The National Retail Association Policy Team exists to help retail businesses succeed and grow within an ever-changing regulatory environment.

Our team works with a wide range of industry stakeholders – retailers, government, law enforcement, regulatory bodies, shopping centres, community groups, supporting associations and many more – to develop industry-wide policy platforms or positions on issues of importance to the Australian retail sector.

We work with all retailers across the retail and food service industry – regardless of size, category or business model – from the largest department chains to family-run pizza shops. Similar issues affect all retailers every day – such as retail crime, product safety and environmental legislation – and we all benefit from sharing intelligence and real-world experience.

We work actively with governments at international, federal, state and local levels to ensure the interests and needs of the Australian retail and services sectors are protected and promoted. Rather than running from inevitable regulatory change, we provide a bridge between retailers and government – facilitating the exchange of ideas and information which ultimately leads to more informed, commercially-aware outcomes for all parties.

We place real-world insight above all else, so we actively engage with retailers – not from some ivory tower, but on the ground – in stores, strip precincts and shopping centres.

The National Retail Association Policy Team are in-house experts with industry-specific knowledge and experience, focused on innovative solutions and positive outcomes for retailers.

We tackle the issues you can’t tackle alone.

Safe Retail Precincts
Sustainability & Environment
Product Safety & Standards
Trading Hours
Retail Committees
Policy Resource Library

Current activity

Update: QLD Waste Levy increase in effect

01/01/2021

To assist businesses in dealing with the financial impacts of COVID-19, the Queensland Government deferred the increase of waste levy rates originally scheduled to take effect from 1 July 2020. A six month deferral to 1 January 2021 was approved. For further information about the waste levy, please visit the Queensland Government website at www.qld.gov.au/wastedisposallevy.  

State of emergency ends: QLD

31/12/2020

During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end 31 December 2020.  More information here.

2020-21 Christmas & New Year Trading Hours

01/12/2020

The National Retail Association has compiled a factsheet outlining Christmas and New Years trading hours for 2020-21.

State of emergency ends: ACT

17/11/2020

During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end  17 November 2020. More information here.  

State of emergency ends: VIC

08/11/2020

During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end 8 November 2020.  More information here.

State of emergency ends: TAS

26/10/2020

  During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end 26 October 2020.  More information here.  

State of emergency ends: SA

17/10/2020

During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end 17 October 2020.  More information here.

Extended Trade: Queen’s Birthday (WA)

28/09/2020

The Western Australia Government has approved extended trading hours for general retail stores in Perth metropolitan area for the Queen’s Birthday public holiday on Monday 28 September 2020. These stores will be allowed to open from 8am to 6pm. Normal trading hours for these public holidays are 11am to 5pm. Retailers holding small shop certificates […]

Jopkeeper payment period ends

27/09/2020

The JobKeeper Payment will be available from 30 March 2020 until 27 September 2020.

State of emergency ends: NT

24/09/2020

During a public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer can issue Public Health Directions to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community. The emergency declaration is due to end 24 September 2020.  More information here.

Engaging real retailers

Related News

The Policy & Advocacy Team

The NRA are currently involved in a wide range of projects, partnerships, working groups and task forces to represent retailer interests:

  • Founder of the National Retail Sustainability Committee
  • Partnership with the QLD Government to assist retailers to manage and comply with the QLD bag ban (since 2017)
  • Partnership with the WA Government to assist retailers to manage and comply with the WA bag ban (since 2018)
  • Partnership with the VIC Government to assist retailers to manage and comply with the VIC bag ban
      • Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning (DELWP) (since early 2019)
      • Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria (since Nov 2019)
  • Partnership with the Department of Health to deliver a retailer engagement and education campaign and online consumer awareness campaign on the ban on cosmetic testing on animals (since July 2020)
  • Partnership with the Brisbane City Council to increase reporting of retail crime with the SafeCity Network (since 2018)
  • Partnership with Department of Home Affairs to increase shared intelligence, collaboration and vigilance with the Safe Retail Precincts project (since mid-2019)
  • Partnership with Maybo to combat retail violence (since June 2020)
  • Industry Association Members of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO)
  • Member of 2020 APCO Design Working Group
  • Scheme Initiator and Associate Member of the Battery Stewardship Council
  • Industry Member of SA Single-Use Plastics Industry Reference Group
  • Industry Member of ACT Single-Use Plastics Industry Reference Group
  • Industry Member of VIC EPA Small Business and Manufacturing Reference Group
  • Industry Supporter of Moving the Needle (reduce textile waste) program
  • Industry Member of WA Container Deposit Scheme Advisory Group
  • Industry Member of TAS Container Deposit Scheme Advisory Group
  • Industry Member of VIC Container Deposit Scheme Advisory Group
  • Industry Member of past NSW and QLD Container Deposit Scheme Advisory Groups
  • Founder of the National Retail Crime Committee, including 4 state-based committees
  • Founder of the National Retail Technical Standards Committee
  • Founder of the National Retail Leasing Committee
  • Representation on multiple Standards Australia standard working groups eg. button battery safety, fashion labelling
  • Industry representative on Federal Home Affairs taskforces eg. COVID Essential Services, TISN

 

Dominique Lamb

Dominique Lamb

Chief Executive Officer National Retail Association
Dominique Lamb is the CEO of the National Retail Association, who has extensive experience providing industrial relations and employment law advice to a range of small, medium and large businesses across a range of industries.
David Stout

David Stout

Director Policy National Retail Association
David is a highly-respected senior executive across a wide range of retail sectors including corporate affairs, operations, customer insights, finance, procurement, risk and regulation, stakeholder engagement, community and supply chain.  He is favourably regarded as a bipartisan and ethical operative in best practice across retail and corporate industry, regional and urban councils, local and state governments, and is currently involved in multiple advisory groups / committees.
Ebony Johnson

Ebony Johnson

Project Manager, Policy National Retail Association
As Project Manager in the Policy team, Ebony brings a strong background across the retail and hospitality sectors in project management, stakeholder relations, marketing, events and communications. Ebony provides project management expertise to multiple projects, including NRA’s bag ban programs, sustainability, product safety, retail crime and committees.
Lily Charlton

Lily Charlton

Policy Officer National Retail Association
Lily Charlton provides a high level of professionalism and organisation, assisting with the NRA Policy team's extensive range of retail committees, state-wide bag ban programs and retail crime initiatives.
Zoe Lovatt

Zoe Lovatt

Designer, Policy National Retail Association
Zoe is a capable creative with a background in Graphic Design and Marketing direction as a part of nationwide retail franchises. She brings to the Policy team years of experience in retail businesses and all-rounder multimedia marketing. branding & corporate design knowledge.
Lauren Walker

Lauren Walker

Engagement Manager National Retail Association
Lauren works from her base in Sydney and beyond providing valuable insight and support to local retailers and retail business centres. Her work includes liaising with stakeholders, scheduling engagements with key decision makers, communicating upcoming policy impacts to retailers and surveying retailers on the concerns they face.
Emily Keane

Emily Keane

Engagement Officer National Retail Association
Emily is responsible for the execution of multiple policy engagements including developing and strengthening relationships with key decision makers, communicating upcoming policy impacts to retailers and surveying retailers on current industry issues.