Liberals promise bigger small retailers SMALL retailers will be able to employ more staff and have more shops open if the Barnett Government is re-elected in just under two weeks time. Commerce Minister Simon O'Brien today announced a Liberal Government would increase the number of shops a small retailer can own from three to four and the number of staff they can hire from 18 to 25 - and still "qualify" as a small retailer. They will also be able to trade seven days a week, 24-hours a day under the proposed changes. Currently to qualify as a small retailer, a shop owner cannot own more than three shops and can't have more than 18 staff on the floor at any one time. Mr O'Brien says the changes will "further loosen red tape for small retailers." "I predict this will be welcomed by a whole range of retailers particularly independent grocers," Mr O'Brien said this morning. They will be able to employ a lot more people, they will be able to provide better services to their customers and they'll be able to participate more fully in the retail trade of Western Australia. It's a significant change for those small retailers. Mr O'Brien said the proposal was "the next step" in the State Government's deregulation of the retail sector. He was coy however when pressed on whether further changes will be made anytime soon to Sunday trading hours. Since late August, all metropolitan general retail shops have been allowed to open for trade from 11am to 5pm every Sunday. "We are going to allow that big change to settle in a little bit further before we propose to change those hours," he said. However, today's announcement will allow a whole range of shops including independent grocers...to open longer on Sunday's if they wish.