The Independent Retailers of NSW & ACT
LOCAL SHOPS SAY PROPOSED NEW RETAIL PLANNING POLICY
WILL RUIN THEM
13 Nov 2009
In a show of the growing community concern about the potential for a proposed State Government planning
policy to rip the heart out of local shopping centres, independent shop owners across NSW are now asking
their State MPs to take up the fight.
This week, under the banner Love Your Local Shops, independent retailers launched an advertising campaign
targeting local politicians, including the Member for Balmain and Minister for Education, Verity Firth, and the
Member For Drummoyne, Angela D’Amore.
Mark Crutcher, independent supermarket owner and head of the Independent Retailers of NSW & ACT Inc,
says that if introduced, the Draft Centres Policy will mean open slather retail development by the major
players like Woolworths and Coles, which will increase their dominant 80 per cent share of the dry grocery
market.
Mr Crutcher said, “Shopkeepers and small businesses throughout NSW have seen right through this flawed
plan, and grocers, butchers, hardware retailers and other small business people are getting together to let
their MPs and the Government know how they feel.
“The policy being contemplated would mean that new centres would be developed, ignoring the impacts on
existing retail and commercial premises. It stands to ruin existing neighbourhood shopping centres, and as a
result small businesses and communities.
“There is already compelling evidence of how unchecked growth of shopping centres away from existing
centres can turn once vibrant town centres into ghost towns. We’ve documented the damage in a mini
documentary called Ghost Towns - in places like Bexley and Maitland” he added.
The Independent Retailers of NSW & ACT
Local councils across the State, including Leichhardt Municipal Council, have also expressed serious concerns
about the policy. In a report in April the council said that Draft Policy did not address the complexities of
development in centres.
“Effective centres are places which are the focus of community activity and which achieve a good balance of
employment, social, retail and residential opportunities supported by good transport links”, the report said.
Drummoyne MP, Angela D’Amore, who has taken a keen interest in the vital detail of the Draft policy, said she
agreed with the Independent Retailers’ solution to the policy’s obvious flaws.
She said, “There is clearly a need for an effective competition test to be included into the centres policy. This
would ensure major retail chains don’t take an even greater market share and enables others to join the
market, while providing independents with an opportunity to maintain their share”.
In short the Policy:
Encourages the oversupply of commercial floor space which favours the preferred operational models
of the two major players at the expense of independent businesses
Gives big developers and the large retail chains the ability to drive re-zonings through the planning
system without proper regard for communities
Deregulates the planning system so that new shopping centres can be built on all land, including
residential land
Does not encourage competition in the retail sector even though this is an express aim of the policy.
Media Contacts:
Mark Crutcher, Independent Retailers of NSW & ACT 0411 481 595
Tim Allerton, City PR (02) 9267 4511 or 0412 715 707
Michael Meagher, CPR Communications 0410 482367
NEWS 
