Non-exempt shops

Shops not classified as independent retail shops or exempt shops are classified as non-exempt. The trading hours for non-exempt shops are regulated by the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 (PDF, 450kB) and by Orders made by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

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Allowable trading hours

Generally, allowable trading hours throughout Queensland are:

8.00am to 9.00pm Monday to Friday; and
8.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday (extended hours may apply in certain areas)

Sunday and public holiday trading

Queensland has a number of areas where extended trading applies on Sundays and/or certain public holidays. These include:

Area	Sundays	Certain public holidays
South-East Queensland Area (this area extends north to Noosa, south to Coolangatta and west to Amberley and includes the Sunshine Coast Area, the Brisbane Statistical Division, the town of Beaudesert and the Gold Coast Area).	9.00am to 6.00pm	9.00am to 6.00pm
Cairns Tourist Area, Townsville Tourist Area, Mossman and Port Douglas Tourist Area, Whitsunday Shire Tourist Area, Hervey Bay Area and Moranbah Area.	9.00am to 6.00pm	8.30am to 5.30pm
Townsville and Thuringowa Area (excluding the Townsville Tourist Area)	11.00am to 6.00pm	8.30am to 5.30pm
Yeppoon Tourist Area	10.30am to 5.30pm	8.30am to 5.30pm
Tourist and/or Seaside Resorts	n/a	8.30am to 5.30pm
Supermarkets located in the town of Port Douglas	7.00am to 6.00pm	7.00am to 6.00pm

Closure and non-trade

Non-exempt shops cannot trade on Good Friday, 25 April, Labour Day and 25 December.

Additionally, non-exempt shops in the South-East Queensland Area must close on Easter Sunday.

Hardware stores

Non-exempt hardware stores and builder material supply stores are also permitted to trade on Sundays.

Shopping centre tenants

Shopping centre tenants in South-East Queensland are protected from being forced to trade on Sundays and public holidays. For information on core trading hours that may apply in some shopping centres, tenants should contact the Retail Shop Leases Tribunal, Department of Tourism, Regional Development & Industry on telephone (07) 3234 0391 (Metropolitan) or 1800 807 051 (Regional).

Voluntary work provisions for retail workers are provided for in the Voluntary Work - Extended Trading Hours - Non-Exempt Shops - Award - State.

Easter, Anzac and Labour Day trading

Different extended trading hours' arrangements apply for retail shops over the Easter, Anzac and Labour Day period.

Christmas trading

Special trading hours' arrangements apply for retail shops over the Christmas and New Year period each year. The extended trading relates to various areas throughout the State for the four Sundays prior to Christmas day being 29 November, 6 December, 13 December and 20 December 2009 and the period 18 to 24 December 2009.

All non-exempt shops throughout the State will be closed on Friday, 25 December 2009. Saturday 26 December, 2009 is not a public holiday and normal Saturday trading will apply. Trading on Monday, 28 December 2009 and Friday, 1 January 2010 is permitted in various areas of Queensland.

Role of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission

The Commission has the jurisdiction to decide trading hours in excess of the minimum allowable hours. Industrial organisations or other organisations may apply to the Commission for an extension of trading hours for non-exempt shops in a particular locality or state-wide. The Commission in making its decisions may consider issues such as locality, the needs of the tourist industry and the interests of the public, consumers and business. In line with this process, the Commission has approved trading on Sundays and certain public holidays in a number of areas in Queensland.

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Trading hours