Australia’s $430 billion retail sector is a cornerstone of our economy, contributing 18% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. It’s the largest private sector employer in the country, employing one in ten Australians, and is dominated by small to medium-sized businesses – many family owned. Retailers play a vital role in connecting communities, providing essential services, and reinvesting billions of dollars back into local economies. They are the country’s biggest buyers of local produce, are major taxpayers, and are strong supporters of local communities, both in good times and bad.