Committee Details

Committee Report 

The committee tabled its report on the inquiry into the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 on Monday, 31 January 2022.

View:  Report
View:  Government Response 

About the inquiry

On 14 September 2021, the Legislative Assembly agreed to a motion that the Education, Employment and Training Committee inquire into and report on the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 (the Inquiry). The committee is required to report to the Legislative Assembly by Monday 31 January 2022.

The terms of reference* for the Inquiry are that the committee inquire into and report on the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 (the Act), in particular:

1. To consider the impact of amendments made by the Trading (Allowable Hours) Amendment Act 2017, with particular regard to:
   1. examining the impact of the moratorium on trading hours orders and restriction on making applications (section 59 of the Act) and recommendations following its expiry;
   2. examining the impact of the moratorium applicable to shops in Mossman and Port Douglas Tourist Area (section 56 of the Act) and recommendations following its expiry;
   3. examination of applications made, and consequences, for relaxation of provisions under section 5 of the Act and recommendations for improvement;
   4. the effectiveness of prescribing permitted hours in legislation;
   5. the suitability of the permitted hours as currently prescribed; and
   6. the role of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission in setting permitted hours outside the prescribed hours.
2. The operation and performance of the provisions of the Act and how, in practice, different provisions are contributing to the objects of the Act and consider the impact of the existing framework for the regulation of trading hours in Queensland.
3. The effects of trading hours regulation on the Queensland economy and on regional Queensland.

*Liquor trading hours, penalty rates for retail employees working on public holidays and Sundays, and the dates public holidays are held on, are outside of the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 and therefore outside of the inquiry terms of reference. 

View:  Legislative Assembly motion on the inquiry
View:  Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990

Timeline