Sunday trading coming to Warwick and Stanthorpe from July

Major stores in Warwick and Stanthorpe will be able to trade on Sundays and public holidays from next month,...

Major stores in Warwick and Stanthorpe will be able to trade on Sundays and public holidays from next month, following a landmark decision handed down by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. The QIRC ruled in favour of parallel applications brought by the NRA for the two centres, saying Sunday trading...

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Message from the CEO: 13 June 2017

We’re never really not shopping, we’re just doing it differently. Take the mid-season sales for example, which have been in full swing...

We’re never really not shopping, we’re just doing it differently. Take the mid-season sales for example, which have been in full swing around the country. Consumer outcomes are maximised during retail events like the seasonal sales, which play an integral role in retailers’ overall marketing strategies. Usually, consumers will shop around their lifestyles, but...

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Decision on penalty rate transition period handed down

In February the Fair Work Commission announced its decision to reduce Sunday penalty rates in the Hospitality, Fast Food,...

In February the Fair Work Commission announced its decision to reduce Sunday penalty rates in the Hospitality, Fast Food, Retail and Pharmacy awards. At 2pm today the Commission handed down its decision on how these changes will be implemented. Fast Food Industry Award 2010  Only Level 1 employees are affected by the...

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Message from the CEO: 16 May 2017

We had high hopes for this year’s Federal Budget, delivered in the midst of major challenges to the retail...

We had high hopes for this year’s Federal Budget, delivered in the midst of major challenges to the retail landscape, including weaker retail sales over three of the past four quarters, and an ever-increasing influx of overseas competitors. Despite it following the tough medicine approach of 2014 that sent shockwaves...

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Message from the CEO: 2 May 2017

The media’s certainly been abuzz over the past week after retail giant Amazon finally (after months of speculation) confirmed...

The media’s certainly been abuzz over the past week after retail giant Amazon finally (after months of speculation) confirmed it would be expanding onto Australian shores, with a distribution centre tipped to be in Melbourne or Sydney. While many are already heralding the end of the retail world as we...

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Message from the CEO: 11 April 2017

What a heartbreaking fortnight it has been for so many of you on the east coast of Australia. We...

What a heartbreaking fortnight it has been for so many of you on the east coast of Australia. We have seen family homes, local schools, roads and local businesses decimated in many communities throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. We want to iterate that we are here to assist...

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Discussing disruption in retail

QUT BUSINESS BREAKFAST BRISBANE: FRI 27 APRIL Just as Airbnb disrupted the hotel sector and Uber disrupted the taxi industry, retail is...

QUT BUSINESS BREAKFAST BRISBANE: FRI 27 APRIL Just as Airbnb disrupted the hotel sector and Uber disrupted the taxi industry, retail is facing its own seismic changes. In the first retail-themed QUT Business Breakfast for 2017, National Retail Association CEO, Dominique Lamb and QUT’s retail expert Assoc. Prof. Gary Mortimer, will explore retail disruption...

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Former VP of Fair Work Commission shares insight with retailers

This week saw the successful launch of the National Retail Association's State of the Retail Nation forums, proudly sponsored by...

This week saw the successful launch of the National Retail Association's State of the Retail Nation forums, proudly sponsored by REST Industry Super. Retailers from across multiple sectors met to hear from industry professionals and to share insight at breakfast briefings in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, plus an online webinar. NRA CEO...

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Retailers call for respect for independent umpire, as Labor moves to overrule FWC penalty rates decision

MEDIA RELEASE The National Retail Association (NRA) has warned that Labor’s private members bill, introduced to parliament today to block...

MEDIA RELEASE The National Retail Association (NRA) has warned that Labor’s private members bill, introduced to parliament today to block the Fair Work Commission’s reduction in Sunday penalty rates, sets a dangerous precedent for all independent ruling bodies across the nation. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said that leveraging political interests to...

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Message from the CEO: 20 March 2017

This week, the Federal Opposition has indicated it will move a private members bill to retrospectively legislate against any...

This week, the Federal Opposition has indicated it will move a private members bill to retrospectively legislate against any cuts to penalty rates, after the independent Fair Work Commission’s ruling of a reduction in five out of the 122 modern awards. While it was an entirely independent decision, made by...

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Message from the CEO: 13 March 2017

A fortnight on from the penalty rates decision, the accompanying discourse seems to be taking on a life of...

A fortnight on from the penalty rates decision, the accompanying discourse seems to be taking on a life of its own, and devaluing the lengthy and carefully-considered processes behind the decision from the Fair Work Commission. I’ve been particularly saddened to see this independent decision politicised and brandished as a weapon...

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Solid start to 2016 for retail, but NRA urge government to back FWC decision

MEDIA RELEASE March 6, 2017 The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has today released its retail trade figures for January 2017,...

MEDIA RELEASE March 6, 2017 The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has today released its retail trade figures for January 2017, which demonstrate a solid increase of 3.2 per cent on the January 2016 figures. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said the figures represented a promising sign to the start of 2017 for...

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Message from the CEO: 6 March 2017

Last week, the NRA was concerned to hear the Federal Government announce that they would be cracking down on...

Last week, the NRA was concerned to hear the Federal Government announce that they would be cracking down on so-called ‘dodgy franchisees’ through the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017, which currently sits before the federal parliament. The legislation seeks to make franchisors more responsible for underpayment of...

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Message from the CEO: 27 February 2017

As you are all aware, last week Fair Work Commission President Justice Iain Ross handed down the Commission’s verdict...

As you are all aware, last week Fair Work Commission President Justice Iain Ross handed down the Commission’s verdict on Sunday penalty rates across a range of industries, including retail and fast food. The NRA is supportive of this decision on behalf of our members. However we are concerned by the...

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Message from the CEO: 20 February 2017

This week the issue of trading hours has been in the spotlight once again. The Productivity Commission has been arguing...

This week the issue of trading hours has been in the spotlight once again. The Productivity Commission has been arguing since 2011 that trading hours be deregulated in all states, including public holidays, as a long-term objective, and that it should be up to retailers to decide when they want...

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Message from the CEO: 14 February 2017

Last week the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its retail trade figures for the month of December 2016...

Last week the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its retail trade figures for the month of December 2016 and the results demonstrated that the National Retail Association was close to spot-on with its Christmas trade period projection. In November, we forecast that for the Christmas trade period – which encompasses...

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