PEAK retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association today congratulated all winners of the Roy Morgan annual Customer Satisfaction Awards held last night in Melbourne, including many retailers and ARA members.

Retailers took out awards in the following categories: Clothing Store of the Year – Sussan; Coffee Shop of the Year – Michel’s Patisserie; Department Store of the Year – Myer; Discount Department Store of the Year – Harris Scarfe; Discount Variety Store of the Year – The Reject Shop; Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year – The Good Guys; Hardware Store of the Year – Home Timber & Hardware; Music/Book Store of the Year – JB Hi-Fi; Service Station of the Year – 7-Eleven; Shoe Store of the Year – Williams.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said all of the above winners, as well as winners from other industries that were recognised at last night’s awards ceremony, are to be congratulated for their commitment to providing customers with outstanding service and the best retail experience they possibly can.

“The ability to provide a seamless customer experience in store which complements an overall multichannel retail strategy is the way forward for the sector.

“The ARA places a high value on its relationship with Roy Morgan and the retail industry research and insight we can together offer to our members looking to grow and diversify their operations to remain relevant to a modern shopping economy.

“Award programs such as the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards and the upcoming ARA Australian Retail Awards play a hand in helping growing businesses achieve success, as well as provide valuable opportunities for hard working retailers to be recognised by their peers,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

ends 

THE State Government’s proposal to expand police powers to 'move-on' people engaging in illegal picket line and protest activities will help protect fundamental rights of Victorian businesses, says Victoria’s peak employer body.

“The right to freely enter one’s premises is a fundamental right. People should be able to go about their business and earn a living without others preventing them from doing so or making them fear for their safety,” says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.

“It is also fundamental that their clients, customers and suppliers are able to freely enter and exit business premises and that private property is protected.

“VECCI supports the introduction of these new laws and calls for them to be passed by the Victorian parliament as soon as possible.”

The Bill before Parliament would grant Victoria Police the power to issue move-on orders where a person is:

- impeding lawful access to a business premises; or

- obstructing others or traffic; or

- causing a reasonable fear of violence.

“A number of Victorian businesses have been subjected to illegal picket line activities and protests in recent years including the CBD blockade of Grocon’s Myer Emporium project. More recently, traffic has been affected by the East-West link protesters. It is vital that the rights of businesses are protected and that major projects are able to proceed,” says Mr Stone.

“Victorians need to support each in these challenging economic times and we need the economic activity that major projects stimulate.

“There is no place for those who do not respect the rights of others to engage in lawful work and business activity.”

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is the peak body for employers in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

www.vecci.org.au

ends 

Chief Executive Mark Stone’s comments on the Alcoa announcement:

"It is disappointing to hear today’s announcement as Alcoa has made a significant contribution to the Victorian economy, especially in the Geelong region, for many years.

"We welcome Alcoa’s commitment to helping its employees transition and urge governments at all levels to work with Alcoa and its contractors, suppliers and community partners to minimise the impact of the closure of the Point Henry smelter.

"While the Alcoa decision is a blow to Geelong, we remain confident that the region can remain competitive given its economic diversity and strengths in tourism, health, education, biotechnology, food and horticulture, research and advanced manufacturing."

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is the peak body for employers in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

www.vecci.org.au

ends

BUSINESSES of all sizes are backing the City of Sydney’s new Economic Development Strategy, praising the 10-year plan to keep Sydney at the forefront of the Australian economy.

The draft strategy reveals the City of Sydney’s economic output was estimated at over $100 billion in 2011–2012 - almost a quarter of the NSW economy and seven per cent of the Australian economy.

Submissions from major business groups including the Sydney Business Chamber, Tourism and Transport Forum, AMP Capital and smaller groups like the Pyrmont/Ultimo Chamber of Commerce and the Newtown Precinct Business Associations, have welcomed the strategy.

The groups have written submissions supporting the City’s work to ensure Sydney remains the premier place in Australia to live, work and visit.

They also praised the City’s leadership role in engaging and promoting business and in analysing emerging issues that keep Sydney’s economy flourishing.

Business groups also said they want the City to continue to engage with the sector and proceed with development of an Asia Action Plan to quantify the importance of this rapidly growing market.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the past five years of withstanding the worst of the global financial crisis while adding nearly 2,000 new businesses proved Sydney’s resilience.

“Cities around the world compete for ideas, investment and talented people and our economic strategy is designed to ensure Sydney wins that competition,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Sydney is the leading knowledge-based economy in Australia, home to Australia’s largest and most globally-connected finance and insurance district and home to the country’s largest digital community.

“We are determined to build on our great record. The City is investing $1.9 billion in a 10-year infrastructure program that includes $220 million for the transformation of George Street. In the southern part of the City, we’re investing $440 million building a new town centre at Green Square.”

There are 437,000 jobs within the City of Sydney, with 173,000 of them - almost 40 per cent - in the finance and professional services areas.

The Economic Development Strategy identifies three priorities - to strengthen Sydney’s competitiveness, improve productivity and capacity, and promote opportunities for Sydney’s business community.

As part of the broad strategy, a series of action plans are being developed to analyse in detail the issues faced by new and established industry sectors and to set programs to respond to emerging challenges.

Draft action plans covering the priority retail and tourism sectors have already been completed and welcomed by business and tourism groups. Major retailer David Jones has backed the City’s desire to make Sydney Australia’s premier retail destination that is a match for comparable global cities.

Tourism Accommodation Australia welcomed the tourism action plan as a major milestone for the accommodation sector by recognising the importance of the tourism to the local economy.

Upcoming plans will be prepared for small business and entrepreneurs, creative and digital industries and international education.

Action plans will also be produced for new and emerging sectors, including Sydney’s green economy.

www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

ends