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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-28 Daily Xml
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SHOP LOCAL

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:42): The news today is filled with doom and gloom. The manufacturing industry in South Australia is in decline, with hundreds of people losing their jobs, seemingly on a weekly basis. Last week, about 100 jobs were lost at Carter Holt Harvey; 170 jobs were lost at Holden at the beginning of November; and BHP's scale-back of the Olympic Dam expansion also sees a reduction in the number of job opportunities. The housing industry is struggling and retail sales are sluggish, even leading up to what is, for them, traditionally the busiest time of the year.

During this festive season, I think it is important to advocate for people to make a small change which could make a big difference for many, that is, to shop locally. Recently, especially with the emergence of the warmer weather and daylight saving, there has been an upsurge of local community markets. Whilst there are some markets which run throughout the year, such as those at Gillies Street, Hahndorf, Semaphore, Wayville and Norwood, spring sees many other markets all across the state come out of hibernation. There are African night markets at Prospect, twilight markets at Campbelltown and Adelaide, Christmas markets at Morphett Vale and the Bowerbird Bazaar, just to name a few, and there are many more one-off pop-up markets.

Markets provide an opportunity for people to sell their produce directly to the public. Traditionally, fresh food was the staple product at markets, but we now see everything from original artwork to vintage clothing and handmade handbags. Every stallholder has taken a chance and spent their time and money to start up their own mini business. For some, this is a hobby, but for others it is their livelihood and a chance to showcase their skills through the goods they produce. Materials are often sourced locally, which provides further opportunities for other local businesses.

With such a broad range of products available, it would not be difficult to find a locally made product to suit just about anybody. I am mindful that handcrafted goods are not to everyone's taste. With a growing culture of individualism, there has been an increase in local boutique specialty stores. These specialty stores provide a point of difference to multinational chain stores, as they provide an intimate shopping experience for specific products. Again, these small stores represent an individual's determination to overcome the obstacles of starting their own business.

Business owners often work seven days a week with only a few days' rest per year. From shops that sell only comic books to specialty single-origin coffee, customers of these stores can be confident when shopping, as they know that more often than not the owner of the business has a passion for the industry and is an expert on their product.

These stores also enable customers to find something unique and individual to better reflect their personality. I know that there are many out there who like to keep up with the latest trends. These trends are usually carried by the larger multinational and international chain stores, that provide excellent employment opportunities for thousands of South Australians.

It is all too easy these days to get carried away with some of the fantastic deals that can be found online; however, most will find that, given the chance, bricks and mortar retail stores are more than willing to compete with their online competitors. We should all be making our best efforts to support these businesses and to ensure that the local retail economy is strengthened, in order to maintain local employment. The festive season provides us with the perfect opportunity to be able to do our bit and support local business, no matter how large or small.

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