Retailers are happy …

… with today’s Tasmanian budget announcements assisting small business and policies put forward by the retail sector

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association Tasmania (ARA), welcomes the commitment to small business and specifically the State’s biggest private employer, the retail sector, by the new Tasmanian government.

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, said there was a critical skills shortage in the retail sector particularly around new technologies holding many businesses back from further expansion and today’s budget announcement was delivering on election commitments for the retail sector.

“The retail announcements in today’s budget are perfect fit for those businesses trying to adjust to new ways of undertaking retail,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Tasmanian ARA spokesman Robert Parker said he welcomed anything which will help Tasmanian retailers take on new challenges and boost the State’s retail sector.

“Tasmanian retail has been struggling for a number of years and it will be great to have a programme to help boost retail growth through skills and growth in the State,” Mr Parker said.

The ARA will work with Tasmanian retailers to help them get involved in the programme and take advantage of other announcements made in today’s small business budget announcement.

The Digital Ready for Retail Program, Retailer Development Program are both programmes ARA Tasmanian members got commitments to during the election campaign from the new Government.

The ARA welcomes the slow but steady approach to fiscal consolidation which will lesson shocks to the Tasmanian economy.

While in recent times there have been good retail sales growth figures the reality is the sector remains smaller than it was a few years ago, even with lack lustre growth in other States they have grown where as in Tasmania the size of the sector remains in the doldrums.

“The ARA has commenced working with Minister’s offices to see how best these commitments made during the State election so they can be delivered effectively”, Mr Zimmerman said.

“We believe with the right policy settings as announced in today’s budget the retail sector will grow and continue to be the State’s biggest private employer.”

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041
Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA