Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA survey slams state’s ‘absurd’ shopping hours

The State’s leading business lobby group has slammed the “absurdity” of WA’s outdated retail trading laws after a new survey once again showed an overwhelming number of West Australians want more shopping hours. A Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA survey states 65 per cent of 836 respondents say their lives would be made “easier” if they could shop whenever they wanted to. And 65 per cent of respondents said they wanted longer shopping hours on a Sunday. “There is widespread support for shops being allowed to open at 9am on a Sunday and this comes through again and again in our surveys,” CCIWA chief economist Daniel Kiely said. “You only need to go to any supermarkets in Perth at 10.45am on a Sunday to see people waiting for the doors to open to buy essentials.” The Cook Government has modernised the state’s liquor laws, this year allowing people for the first time to buy a beer at a pub or tavern on Good Friday without also having to purchase a meal. It has even announced more public holidays for WA — Easter Saturday to be designated a public holiday come 2028 — along with a new Show Day in late September. But it won’t budge on overhauling WA’s retail trading laws, which in Perth, means an 11am starting time for shops, as well as a 5pm close time. “People in Perth can now go to the pub on Good Friday and Anzac Day from 10am without buying a meal, buy they can’t go to the supermarket for bread or milk on a Sunday before 11am,” Dr Kiely said. “We’re very supportive of the easing of liquor restrictions but it really highlights the absurdity of our Sunday trading rules.” Dr Kiely said ultimately, shops should be allowed to choose their own hours. “All businesses should have the right to open when they want to,” he said. “There is clear demand for earlier shopping hours on Sunday mornings and at a time when many small businesses are struggling, flexibility is vital.” Dr Kiely said the onslaught of on-line shopping was hurting retailers. “Consumers have so much choice now and can shop online at any time,” he said. “It’s vital that we support small and family businesses in bricks and mortar shopping precincts by giving them the flexibility to open before 11am on a Sunday.” Shopping hours in Perth are regulated by the government of the day. Premier Roger Cook has repeatedly said no to more shopping hours for the WA capital, siding with the powerful SDA union which also opposes changes to WA’s retail trading laws. “To extend retail trading hours at this time would just fall into the hands of the dominant market players and undermine competition,” Mr Cook said in a recent interview with The Sunday Times. Basil Zempilas, who has lobbied for more shopping hours in Perth both as Lord Mayor and now Opposition leader this week repeated his calls for changes to Sunday retail rules. “The queues outside supermarkets on a Sunday morning tell you everything you need to know,” he said. “People do not want to wait until 11am on a Sunday to do their shopping. They don’t have to wait in any other major city in Australia, so why should they have to wait here? “This is about choice for customers, and in the middle of a cost of living crisis, it’s about workers having the opportunity to work extra hours to earn extra dollars which could make a huge difference to them and their families.” Mr Zempilas accused Mr Cook of being beholden to unions. “Roger Cook is a union man, he was put in by the unions, and he is being dictated to by the unions,” Mr Zempilas said. “We’ve seen increased union activity in the Pilbara on his watch, we’ve seen it in the construction sector and we’ve seen it in his refusal to budge on shopping hours. “It’s 2026, not 1986, at the very least West Aussies should be able to get to the shops at 9am on a Sunday and do their shopping at a time which suits them and helps grow our economy.”