LIBERAL candidate for MacKillop Nick McBride will fight to retain Millicent’s regulated shop trading hours, putting him at odds with his party’s deregulation policy.
A question from the floor at Tuesday night’s candidates forum about the Liberal Party’s move to deregulate shopping hours, which would allow large retailers Target Country, Foster’s Foodland and Woolworths to open on Sundays and public holidays, was met with applause.
The State Opposition will introduce amendments to the law to allow the three regulated retailers to open from midnight to 9pm every day of the year, with the exception of Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning.
Last year, Millicent residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the current shop trading hours with more than 72pc of residents voting in support of the town’s rare regulated shopping regime.
Mr McBride conceded the party’s long-held policy put him in a difficult situation, but pledged to respect the Millicent community vote in the party room.
“What I would do, and I’m asking to have some confidence from you, is that I will actually go and bat that those restrictions, those three areas that have trading hour restrictions remain as so,” he said.
“We would look at that on a regular basis through some sort of democratic process.
“I fully appreciate that this town has decided the shopping hours they want and you should be allowed to do so.”
Mr McBride said the party’s 10-year moratorium on fracking, which was heavily driven by ex-Liberal Troy Bell, was an example of the party listening to local concerns.
“You’d say how would you do that if all the Liberals are anti-regulation and they just want free shopping hours and the fact we got the moratorium on fracking is exactly the same sort of policy problem.
“For the Liberals, that was a very difficult decision to make.
“It’s anti-mining and anti-development, which the Liberals are meant to stick up for.
“I think shop trading hours is a lot smaller issue but it is an issue I hope to win for you in Wattle Range so you can continue on that same vein.”
Independent candidate for MacKillop Jon Ey supported moves for full deregulation, saying businesses should have a choice in their operating hours.
“I think shops should be able to open when they want to open, I do not think it’s government’s responsibility to force them to open or force them to close,” he said.
“The difference between Mount Gambier and Penola for example, at this stage you go to Mount Gambier on a Sunday and everything is closed.
“You go to Penola on a Sunday and everything is open.
“That’s the decision made in those two towns by those businesses and that’s the way it should remain.”
Australian Conservatives candidate Richard Bateman said less regulation “was always good” and said the party would release a deregulation policy over the weekend.
In response to the question, SA-Best candidate Tracy Hill simply said the party “does not support the deregulation of shopping hours”.
