NSW newsagents fight back

 

Contract paper holeNewsagents and lottery agents in NSW say they are fighting for their lives as NSW lotteries operator, Tatts Lotteries, looks to introduce significant changes from March 31 next year.

According to the Newsagents Association of NSW and QLD (NANA) Tatts Lotteries is demanding that agents enter into new, uncommercial franchise agreements, with the proposed changes including that all 1500 agencies undergo mandatory shop refits including new branding, using only Tatts approved shop fitters.

NANA says Tatts is also demanding payments from lottery agents twice a week, instead of the current payment arrangements, which the association claims is “an unwarranted and unnecessary attack on the cash flow of these small businesses”.

“You would think that by expecting agents to accept such uncommercial terms, Tatts would balance it with an exclusive franchise to justify the investment. On the contrary, Tatts trumpet the success of their Coles Express Trial in Victoria and point to it as their future,” NANA said.

“As the official representative body for the Lottery Agents of NSW and the ACT we have been in negotiation with Tatts on this document for over 12 months, but it is now due for release.

“We call upon all sides of politics to review these and other measures that were included in the Agency Protection Period or Moratorium legislated five years ago. They were included to oversee the transition of NSW lotteries from a public to private business.

“Tatts have shown their hand and cannot be trusted to deal fairly with newsagents and lottery agents. Government needs to balance the corner of small business.”

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