praxidice
The 2013 election will be an interesting one. I am no expert but I don't think the LNP will win over as many votes as they believe even with the disillusionment of many grass roots ALP voters. Most of those votes will go elsewhere but like all elections the impact will depend on the demographics of the electorate and where preferences fall. Many die hard Labor voters won't preference the Liberals no matter what they think of the current government.

Frankly where I live there won't be much change, it is always a Labor stronghold although we tend to put a Liberal in the Senate. Given the shenanigans of the LNP in Canberra a Green may even get that spot (numbers were close in a couple of elections). The new LNP Senate candidate does not have the same reputation as the current incumbent.

rehctub
I agree with you about the difficulties of weekend and long day trading for small business. As you say people are still spending the same amount of money but just spreading it over the day. It would be difficult to compete for many reasons. I don't know what the answer is as I imagine most people have become accustomed to longer shopping hours.

Pelican, the answer is to listen to the people who know in The first place, the traders.

Every small business retailer knew well in advance that extended trading hours would hurt them.

In the beginning of the late night trading, mon to fri, the majors simply used check out staff to perform the duties that were previously performed by night fill staff, with the result being many jobs lost in that role.

Once shoppers became accustomed to the extended hours, and after hours sales improved as a result, the night fill jobs started to increase, but unfortunately for small retailers, so did the market share for the majors.

The rest I am afraid, as they say, is history.

Rehctub, you manage to be a capitalist and a communist all at the same time. "EVERYONE WAS HAPPY, except the interfering labor law makers." We don't want any interference in the free market, especially when you were making the "laws" the market knows best and so does butch.
Then there is this; "If I (rehctub) had my way I would go back even further and have specialty shops where meat, bread and produce can only be purchased from specialty stores, I would allow supermarkets to sell only the basics." Now when it suits the commo' raises his head, there goes the free market, I demand state intervention, where are those pesky law makers when you need them, and who would be running the specialty meat shop and charging what he likes with anti-compertion laws in place, comrade rehctub.
Like my old man used to say who is the greatest capitalist on earth "A cow cocky in a good season" and the greatest socialist "A cow cocky in a bad season". Can't have it both way, or can you.

Yes, fair point Paul, not sure how to respond, but I can assure you I am not an unfair person, or employer.