Calls for Biloela 7-day trading

BILOELA shoppers could be enjoying the benefits of seven-day trading as early as July.

The National Retail Association lodged an application with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to allow retailers in Biloela to open for trading from 9am to 6pm on Sunday and to extend Saturday trading until 5pm.

The matter was due to be heard in the industrial court on Monday afternoon but was deferred until Monday, June 25 at the request of the retailers' group.

Central Telegraph contacted the National Retailers Association (NRA) to determine who had requested the association to lodge the application but no response was received by the time of print.

In the document presented to Queensland Industrial Relations Commissions the NRA claims seven-day trading would be particularly beneficial to the residents of Banana Shire - Biloela in particular - as it would "better service the requirements of workers in the agricultural, mining and power and meat industries, all of which operate over seven days of the week and where shift work is a significant component of employment arrangements".

Banana Shire Council chief executive officer Ray Geraghty said they were asked to make a submission to the industrial relations commission just over a week before the matter fronted court on Monday.

"This didn't give council very much time to gauge the community's feelings towards seven-day trading, and as a result we indicated that we were not in a position to make a submission," Mr Geraghty said.

Mr Geraghty said now the case had been deferred council would be putting together a submission and asked the community to voice their opinion on the concept of seven-day trading.

He said the general feeling from Biloela-based councillors was the community thought it was a positive move forward.

The push for seven-day trading appeared to be a reaction to the proposed Supa IGA which when constructed would be open seven-days a week.