National Retail Association Limited, Union of Employers

The National Retail Association Limited applied to the Commission to classify all non-exempt shops as exempt shops in the Mount Isa Central Business District for a specified period during the Mount Isa Rodeo, a special event. The application was made under the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990, which allows for a declaration to be made if the event has cultural, religious, or sporting significance, and is significant to the economy and the tourism industry. The Commission was required to decide whether the Mount Isa Rodeo met the criteria for a "special event" under the Act.

The Commission considered the cultural, religious, or sporting significance of the event, as well as its significance to the economy and tourism industry. The evidence presented by the applicant indicated that the rodeo had a strong cultural and sporting significance, with over 600 competitors from around Australia and overseas participating in the event. The rodeo has been running since 1959 and is the largest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere. The event also includes a street parade, a live open-air concert, family entertainment, children's activities, and street stalls. The Commission was also presented with evidence that the rodeo had a significant impact on the local economy, with an estimated attendance of approximately 30,500 people and an increase in visitor nights and spending in Mount Isa.

The Commission was satisfied that the Mount Isa Rodeo was a unique event of local, State and potentially national significance, and that it met the criteria for a "special event" under the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990. The Commission made a declaration that the Mount Isa Rodeo is a special event for the purposes of the Act, and that the declaration applies to the specified area and period during which the rodeo takes place.

The Commission made a declaration that the Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo is a special event for the purposes of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990, and that the declaration applies to the specified area and period during which the rodeo takes place. The Commission was satisfied that the rodeo met the criteria for a "special event" under the Act, and that it had cultural, religious, or sporting significance, and was significant to the economy and the tourism industry. The Commission did not receive any objections to the application and there were no submissions made by a local government for an area in which the declaration is likely to have an impact.