Shopping changes

Press, 17 April 1982, Page 5

Shopping changes

Parliamentary reporter A bill to clarify the definition of a "dairy-mixed business" has been introduced in Parliament. The Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill, of four clauses, was referred to the Labour and Education Select Committee for the hearing of submissions, without Opposition dissent.

The bill more clearly defines "milk" in the list of goods that qualify a shop to sell on a Sunday as a "dairymixed business’" Milk is required to be fresh pasteurised milk, not condensed or dehydrated milk.

■ The Shop Trading Hours Commission had been receiving' applications for Sundaytrading from proprietors not selling fresh pasteurised milk, said the Minister in charge of the bill (Mr Bolger). A second change to the definition "dairy-mixed business" allowed some shops selling goods outside the specified list to open on a Sunday. At present a shop is not a dairy-mixed business unless all the goods offered for sale fall within that range.

Mr Bolger said the second change would allow countrystores which were the onlyshops in an area, and serviced the farming community, to open on a Sunday.

Clause 3 of the bill tightens the rules on retail activity at shows and exhibitions. and is sought by the Labour Department,

It limits the duration of a show or exhibition to four weeks and requires that goods sold there be limited to what might reasonably be expected to prove popular. Clause 4 empowers the Shop Trading Hours Commission to waive formal procedures of advertisements and hearings where a shop selling on a Sunday makes application for a minor change to its licence, such as a change in the name of the business.