Dear campaign supporter,

Thank you for your pledge of support on our petition demanding fair and balanced trading hours laws for the NSW community.

The first bundle was tabled in the State Parliament in late May. Because it exceeded 10,000 signatures, the Parliament is now obliged to hold a debate on the issue. The date for this is set for Thursday 18 October.

Between now and then we need to get as many more signatures as possible to send a clear signal to the Government and minor parties that this is an issue the community takes seriously. It currently stands at 21,358. We are aiming for 30,000 by the time of the debate, which will make this the largest petition presented in this Parliament. You can download more blank petitions here. 

Meanwhile, we will be having a Take The Time Family Day at Sydney's Luna Park on Sunday 26 August.

There will be live music and kids activities on the Lavender Green between 11am and 2pm. The theme for the day is 'orange' and a prize will be awarded for the most creative outfit!

Entry is free and discounted ride passes can be purchased from the SDA Sydney or FSU for $21.50 (normally $39.95 for adults).

Save on fuel and parking! Remember that families can travel on public trains, buses and ferries on this day, like all Sundays, for just $2.50 per person.

In July, the McKell Institute's Peter Bentley presented to an audience of 100+ at Sydney's Town Hall the findings of a study into trading hours deregulation.

The study concluded that further deregulation, where few restricted trading days remain, does not increase overall sales. If you'd like to read up on the detail, you can view the slides here (on smartphones, tap on the right hand side to advance through the slides).