13 Nov 2012

Santas to lead Sydney march

11:10 am on 13 November 2012

A group of Santas will lead a protest march in Sydney against extending Boxing Day trading in New South Wales.

AAP reports that only stores in central Sydney and at popular tourist destinations in NSW are currently allowed to open on Boxing Day.

The Shop and Allied Distributers Association is against a bill in the NSW Upper House to allow more retailers to open on Boxing Day.

NSW president Gerard Dwyer said people could shop on 360 days a year and the argument that opening on Boxing Day was good for the economy was untrue.

"People don't magically get more money in their pockets on Boxing Day," he said.

Mr Dwyer said if the legislation was passed it would lead to trading on other days such as Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, Easter Friday and Anzac Day.

Union members, religious leaders and community groups will attend a forum on Tuesday morning to discuss the issue before marching behind the Santas to state parliament.