A campaign to boycott shops on Boxing Day has been launched amid fears Wagga workers would be ‘forced’ to be away from their families.
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After many of Wagga’s family-owned businesses said they wouldn’t open on Boxing Day, Steven Cook started a Facebook campaign calling for people to boycott shops on the day.
“I don’t like the idea of Boxing Day trading,” Mr Cook said. “It puts pressure on families, small businesses and workers.”
After restrictions on Boxing Day trading were lifted statewide last year, Mr Cook said he decided to call business organisations “at all levels” on the day to see if any of them were open. The calls all went to answering machines.
“There’s a contradiction there,” Mr Cook said.
“They say there shouldn’t be higher penalty rates on Sundays because it’s like any other day, but they all operate from Monday to Friday.
“This is an erosion of family time and I want to know what’s next – Christmas Day trading?”
Before the Retail Trading Act was changed, only businesses in designated areas like the Sydney CBD and some tourist areas were permitted to open.
Ben Foley from the NSW Business Chamber said he appreciated the campaign’s family focus, but businesses should have a right to choose for themselves when they open their doors.
“Why should the government prescribe who can open and who can’t?” Mr Foley said. “Even if they don’t open, they should be given a choice and if they think they can make a dollar, who are we to stand in the way?”
Instead of going shopping on Boxing Day, members of the boycott group suggested spending time with family, watching the cricket or even making donation at the blood bank.
Almost 80 per cent of respondents to a Daily Advertiser poll said shops should stay closed on Boxing Day.
“There needs to be protection of our workers’ family time,” Mr Cook said. “The majority of shops that will open are retail chains, not locals, that money goes straight out of town.”