The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has approved 36 extra shopping hours over the Christmas period to help stimulate trading for general retail shops in the Perth metropolitan area.
Minister for Commerce, John Quigley said the extra shopping hours would start on Saturday 5 December.
Sunday and public holiday trading has also been extended with an extra four hours a day, 8am-to-6pm (normally 11am-to-5pm), and an additional hour on Saturdays.
Mr Quigley said from 14 December to Christmas Eve inclusive, larger shops could choose to open one hour earlier from 7am until 9pm on weekdays.
Under the Retail Trading Hours Act the Minister has the power to extend trading for a 28-day period prior to New Year’s Day and for public holidays outside this period, except for Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day when general retail shops must close.
Mr Quigley said it had been a tough year for many retailers with COVID-19 restrictions impacting business.
“With a number of stimulus measures putting more money in people’s pockets prior to Christmas we are hoping the extra trading hours will result in higher retail sales and give a welcome boost to our retail sector,” Mr Quigley said.
“There has never been a more important time to support WA retailers, so we ask that you invest your money in this State and help your fellow Western Australians by shopping locally, rather than shopping online with overseas businesses.”
He urged the State’s people “to keep their money here in the West and use the extra trading hours to support local traders”.
