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Category: Alcohol / Retail / Courts and Trials / Business, Economics and Finance

Dan Murphy's to take action against NT Government over size restriction

Wednesday, 8 Mar 2017 07:22:14 | Georgia Hitch

Woolworths will take court action on behalf of its Dan Murphy's liquor chain against the NT Government. (AFP: Anoek De Groot)

Liquor chain Dan Murphy's has confirmed its parent company, Woolworths, will be lodging a case against the Northern Territory Government's regulations on store sizes.

Dan Murphy's general manager for corporate services, Shane Tremble, said its federal court case was built on the basis the Government's floor size restriction was "arbitrary".

"We received advice some time ago that there's potential that the regulation's not made for a profit purpose," he said.

"It's on that basis that we're going to be challenging the regulation in the federal court, and the imposition of the 400 square metres, and what would appear to be an arbitrary 400-square-metre regulation."

The Woolworths-owned chain planned to open an 1,800-square-metre store on Darwin airport land, but its plans suffered a setback in December when new laws restricting liquor store sizes to 400 square metres were introduced.

The NT Government reaffirmed its position yesterday that the store was welcome in the Territory "but must abide by the same rules as everyone else".

Dan Murphy's told the ABC it had been unsuccessful in its negotiations with the Government.

"We discussed a number of options, we talked about restrictions on certain classes of product, potential restrictions on trading hours, full-time security in store," Mr Tremble said.

The Property Director of NT Airports, Ross Baynes, said he was disappointment by the Government's position.

"We're disappointed the Government has chosen not to repeal the 400 metre restriction," Mr Baynes said.

"Whatever [position] Woolworth's takes, the airport will support them in their action."

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