The federal government established an expert panel to consider issues arising out of the Government response to the Senate Economics Committee inquiry into unconscionable conduct. The QNF and NANA made a submission to this panel. Click here to see a copy of their submission.
In the submission, they list conduct which newsagents regularly experience. This list will resonate with newsagents:
- Refusal to collectively negotiate – which seriously disadvantages individual newsagents
- Take it or leave it contracts.
- ‘Lock in’ which prevents newsagents suffering unanticipated economic deterioration (circulation decline) from exiting
- No proper recognition of specific costs factors escalation which can obviously adversely impact on ‘locked in’ newsagents
- Newsagents getting less advantageous terms than big players like supermarkets
- Newsagents supplied and charged for products that they do not want.
- Unilateral variation of contracts.
Newsagents should read the submission in full and see first-hand the work of associations robustly representing newsagents.
Avenues we and other small businesses can take are determined by legislation. This expert panel is advising a Senate Committee on matters which have the potential to impact our future. The work by NANA and QNF is most useful for newsagents and other small businesses.
Well done Ann and Hank
Definitely a good step forward.
It is an excellent example of associations working together to professionally represent newsagents.