Published on Thursday, 28 November 2024 at 11:12:09 AM
In line with Council and the Shire’s commitment to support local businesses, laid out under Outcome 12 of the Council Plan, every effort is made to support the right balance of retail trading hours for businesses, visitors and the community over the summer holiday period.
The process to extend retail trading hours via a temporary trading permit each year is lengthy and time consuming. To avoid this ad hoc approach, Council resolved to investigate community appetite for a permanent change through December, January and over Easter each year.
Consultation took place in November 2023 with our community, the ECCI, State Local Members, and Australia’s Golden Outback (representing the tourism industry); strong support for extending retail trading hours was expressed. Feedback emphasised the importance of catering to increased tourism numbers during the busy season and providing greater flexibility in shopping hours for larger retail businesses, and the community.
Once the results of the consultation were clear, the proposal for a permanent change to retail trading hours was presented to Council, and subsequently supported with a request that it be forwarded to the State Government for approval, then reviewed by Council in three years if given the thumbs-up. State Government approval has now been granted, with the Minister for Commerce endorsing the changes.
What a great achievement! Working together, local stakeholders and interested parties have achieved new permanent retail trading hours for the Christmas, New Year and Easter periods!
This is a fantastic outcome, set to benefit all segments of our community as well as visitors to our beautiful region. As a bonus, the new permanently extended retail hours will also save Council and Shire time - and ratepayer money - with the annual process to meet requests for temporary extended retail hours no longer required.
It’s important to note that small retail businesses (98% of Esperance shops) can already trade 24-7 every day of the year if they have a small retail shop certificate – apply through the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety here.
The newly approved extended permanent retail trading hours apply to larger business, called General Retail Shops. For further information on WA retail trading hours visit the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s information page here.
The extended retail trading hour in the Shire of Esperance for the 2024 – 2025 summer holiday period and Easter are:
- Friday Trading December 13 and 20 2024 from 8 to 9pm
- Sunday Trading
- December 8, 15 and 22 2024 from 10.00am to 4.00pm
- January 2025 every Sunday from 10.00am to 4.00pm
- Public Holiday Trading Hours from 10am to 4pm
- Boxing Day – Thursday 26 December
- New Year’s Day – Wednesday 1 January
- Australia Day – Monday 27 January
- Labour Day - Monday 3 March
- Easter Monday – Monday 21 April
Council and the Shire thank all who took the time to submit feedback on the extended retail trading hours proposal, and celebrates this fantastic result for the community – awesome work everyone!
Media Enquiries:
media@esperance.wa.gov.au
Back to All News