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ARA Australian Retailers Association
ARA Australian Retailers Association
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    Advocacy

    We aim to create a supportive retail ecosystem, advocating for big changes at a government level and unifying the industry by onboarding major retailers whilst remaining strongly focused on the needs of our SMB members. The scale and diversity of our membership makes us unique in our impact.

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    ARA Advocacy Snapshot

    12 months to 31 January 2022

    1-Apr-05-2022-04-42-13-17-AM
    72 government letters
    27 formal submissions to government
    150+ government-industry roundtables, forums and briefings
    95 Covid-19 member updates
    55 member surveys on advocacy topics
    120 advocacy based media releases
    24,000+ media mentions
    90+ advisory committee meetings
    65% of members say policy and government updates are a reason they would recommend the ARA

    A FEW OF OUR RECENT WINS

    We have enjoyed a number of advocacy wins throughout the past twelve months – here are some of the recommendations that have been adopted by state and federal governments through our advocacy efforts.

     

    Covid-19 support measures

    • Rental relief schemes implemented

    • Rental relief schemes extended

    • ACCC collective bargaining for lease negotiations extended

    • Business support from federal, state and territory government delivered

    • CBD revitalisation campaigns designed and delivered


    Retail risks and opportunities

    • Availability of RAT kits improved

    • FBT on RAT kits removed 

    • Trading hours in QLD, SA and WA relaxed

    • Positive outcomes from wage review secured

    • Positive workplace relations outcome for casuals secured

    • Partnership with government on cyber security secured


    ARA as the voice of retail

    • Consultation between government and retail improved

    • Input into ABS standards and outputs provided

    • First net-zero roadmap for Australian retail launched


    Covid-19 health settings

    • Advance notice on government’s Covid-19 measures provided

    • Covid protocols adjusted and relaxed

    • National alignment secured


    Other advocacy

    • Following further advocacy by the ARA, recently, the ACCC granted extended authorisation for ARA members to bargain collectively and share information in relation to commercial leases until 1 September 2021.

    • We also worked to spearhead the National Mandatory Leasing Code of Conduct and support its successful rollout within each State and Territory. This pioneering piece of legislation allowed SMB tenants to significantly reduce their financial outlay during lockdowns and beyond by both deferring and receiving rental waivers from landlords. This significant Covid support measure helped prevent thousands of retailers around the country from financial collapse. The ARA successfully lobbied for the leasing code provisions to be extended beyond September 2020, with a positive outcome in almost every State and Territory.​​

    • Our other advocacy wins under COVID-19 included successfully appealing for a delay on the Annual Wage Review (AWR) for the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The decision was delayed until February and only for the retail sector and was a direct result of ARA negotiations. 

    • Our advocacy also contributed to the extension of Federal support measures JobKeeper, including the introduction of tapered payments for workforce casuals, along with the extension of JobSeeker. Both have also been monumentally important to the survival of our sector through the pandemic.

    • Other COVID wins included successfully lobbying for retail trading hours to be extended in multiple jurisdictions and the introduction of a range of retail-focused SMB business grants and support programs by State governments around the country.

    • Victoria has remained a strong focus for the ARA throughout the pandemic, with extended lockdowns unfortunately creating devastating outcomes for retailers in that state. The ARA efforts directly resulted in the elevation of retail as a priority category along with the introduction of important measures such as the allowance of online trading throughout the lockdown period, the ability for distribution centres and dark stores to return to normal staffing levels and the early access to dark stores prior to reopening. We also contributed to earlier easing for hair and beauty retailers.

     
     
    • We have also put an intense focus on our contribution to the important Industrial Relations (IR) reforms being negotiated with Federal Attorney General Christian Porter with participation in the Federal Working Party on workforce casuals alongside collaboration around Enterprise Bargaining, Award Simplification and Penalties. We saw a significant number of IR reforms stem from this work in 2020.  

    • In broader advocacy work, many of the ARA’s recommendations around Single Use Plastics and Container Deposit Schemes around the country have now been adopted.

    Skills and employment

    The ARA also successfully advocated on behalf of the retail sector in areas of skills and employment. Below are some of our wins and active advocacy:

    • Led the development of Infection Control training course for COVID safety programmes.

    • Successfully lobbied for free funding for the Infection Control training course in VIC, NSW, QLD and TAS.

    • Led the development and endorsement of 10 Retail Skillsets for the JobTrainer Programme.

    • Currently lobbying all states for the Retail Skillsets to be added to their funded course list. At this stage, NSW is the first state to add the course to their Funded  Course list.

    • Led the development and endorsement of the Manage Customer Aggression Skillset and current lobbying to add to their Funded Course List with NSW being the first state to add to their Funded Course list.

    • Continuing work with Federal and State Governments in lobbying Retail employment in the sector.

    • Commencing the PaTH Business Partnerships retail employment program involving retail advocacy for young people and employers.

    ARA advocacy activities (Covid-19 restrictions)

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    ARA advocacy activities

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    ARA advocacy in the media

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    Federal Budget submission

    The ARA made its pre-budget submission ahead of the 2022 Federal Budget, which was brought forward from mid-May 2022 to 29 March 2022. Our submission made 26 recommendations in seven focus areas. Access the full submission here.

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    Contact us

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    1300 368 041

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    info@retail.org.au

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    Level 1,  112 Wellington Pde

    East Melbourne 3002

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    The ARA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, learn and live. We pay our respects to their elders past and present, and also recognise Australia’s First Nations’ peoples as Australia’s first traders with a sophisticated network of trading paths that have facilitated the exchange of goods, knowledge and culture for millennia

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