AHA accuses Nationals of backflip on preventing regional liquor stores from opening on Sunday

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has accused the WA Nationals Party of backflipping on a commitment to keep country liquor stores from trading on Sunday.

The State Government is expected to make a number of changes to the Liquor Control Act later this year, following an independent review of the legislation.

One of the review's recommendations, accepted by the Liberal-National Government late last year, would allow all liquor stores to trade on Sunday between 10:00am and 10:00pm in major regional centres where there are no alcohol restrictions in place.

The AHA's chief executive Bradley Woods said that change could damage the livelihoods of country pubs and taverns.

"We don't want to see small country regional pubs being put out of business because of the effect of big multinational supermarkets operating their liquor stores on Sundays," he said.

"It gives people another reason to leave those smaller communities and go into the bigger regional centres to do their Sunday shopping for liquor there than go to the country pub."

Mr Woods said before and after the 2013 State Government election, he was given written commitments by the Nationals and verbal reassurances by the former Minister for Racing, Gaming and Liquor, Terry Waldron, that they would not support regional bottle shops opening on Sunday.

"We understand that meetings were held by the National Party without any consultation with the hotel pub sector and the position was reversed," he said.

Nationals striking a balance says Holt

The current Minister, Nationals MP Colin Holt, said Mr Waldron was trying to strike a balance between the needs of businesses and the needs of the community.

Mr Holt described the consultation process as "extensive".

"I understand [the AHA's] point of view, and they should put that forth strongly, but I'm just saying as a responsible Minister we're trying to strike a balance and that's what we'll be working towards," Mr Holt said.

He said although the recommendation had been accepted, no decision had been made about where in regional WA the liquor stores would be able to open.

"I'm looking at that right now and I certainly don't want to impact on the country pub, they are a major social hub for the community and anything we do won't impact on those," Mr Holt said.

"We are looking at some of the major regional centres and what is the right balance that can be struck in terms of trading hours in those centres."

Mr Woods said he was in discussions with Mr Holt about the issue.

"He's obviously been put in a very, very difficult position, a somewhat compromising position because he was president of the National Party at the time the commitment was given," he said.

"We are working through the issues with him."

The first part of the legislation reform is expected to be presented to Cabinet for approval before the winter parliamentary break.

Source:  ABC News - 10th April 2015