Productivity Commission Retail Inquiry

The Productivity Commission is undertaking an inquiry into the economic structure and performance of the Australian retail industry.POAAL has made a submission to the Productivity Commission's inquiry, addressing some of the impediments to the retail sector, drivers of change, the impact of the internet on retail and the effect of the mining boom on LPOs.POAAL made a number of recommendations, including:1. Representation of small retail business (including franchisees) in all key Government and Government Agency forums, such as banking and finance; planning; retail tenancy matters and the ACCC.2. Government assistance through financial incentives or tax relief to keep small business viable in regional, rural and remote areas. Services must be maintained in areas that produce Australia’s food.3. Standard, easy-to-understand and business- and staff-friendly OH&S laws.POAAL's submission can be downloaded as a PDF from the Productivity Commission's website. (Submission 127.)