TRADING HOURS

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations a question regarding Good Friday shop trading.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Two weeks ago I publicly raised a constituent's concern that the Tourism Commission was working with the Holdfast Bay council to pressure Glenelg traders to open for business when the Dawn Princess cruise ship docks at Outer Harbour on Good Friday. On this issue, Anglican Archbishop Jeffrey Driver said that afternoon:

I think that the traders who have concerns reflect the fact that Australia is still a country with a lot of people in it who take Good Friday seriously.

SDA union chief Peter Malinauskas said on Thursday two weeks ago that it was the union's very firm position that Good Friday, Christmas Day and the half day of ANZAC Day were 'sacrosanct'. On radio the minister explained that he had no control over the exemption for shops under 200 square metres—which we accept is the case—and, given the Tourism Commission's actions, the minister was challenged as to whether it was government policy to compel shops to open on Good Friday. The minister said—and I am paraphrasing—that he had a problem with the proposal, he would make a few phone calls, and that shops should not be intimidated into opening on Good Friday. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister update the council on his actions in relation to the issue?

2. In relation to shops over the 200 square metre limit, will his government commit to keeping Good Friday, Christmas Day and the ANZAC Day morning free from trading?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for his question. There are a number of issues. The member has already accurately stated that shops under 200 square metres do not come under the Shop Trading Hours Act. We do not have any controls or any ability to influence shops who wish or do not wish to open on Good Friday. It is the government's intention, under the bill before parliament now, to make sure that there is no trading on public holidays regarding Christmas Day and Good Friday, and it is committed to that. It is not this government's role, or my role, to stop discussions with various shopkeepers at Glenelg about whether they were asked by the council to open or not. It is not my role—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: The Tourism Commission. I, personally, do not support public trading on Good Friday. This government's policy is that there is no trading on Good Friday. All I can say, in answer to your question, is that if the Tourism Commission (or whoever) had asked—there was no pressure put on. You cannot stop someone from asking or writing a letter stating, 'Are you prepared to open up to allow a couple thousand people from a tourist ship to come down to do some shopping?' All I can say is that I do not support it as minister, and the legislation does not support it, but we cannot get in the way of discussions between various parties revolving around that issue.