Wah.. i was brought to my attention that my uncle, Uncle Frank, a rebel harware trader in melboune, was even on Wikipedia. I was like wow. How much he went through over the past 20 odd years just to get his shop going on trading on sunday.
Uncle Frank is my mum's sister's husband.
so this is his what happened:-
Uncle Frank started his business with the conviction that, in a free enterprise system, shopping hours and trading days were matters between him and his clients. After 19 days in Pentridge prison, half a million dollars in fines and many years of determination, this “rebel trader” was instrumental in bringing about the introduction of Sunday trading.
This is what appeared on Wikipedia if you search for it:-
Francis William Penhalluriack is most notable for opening his Glen Huntly, Victoria hardware store outside of legislated trading hours. Frank Penhalluriack's actions eventually led to a dramatic change in retail trading laws in Victoria, Australia.
Penhalluriack initially studied at Hampton High School. After Hampton High School was burnt down, he moved to Melbourne High School. He subsequently graduated with a Bachelor's of Building from Melbourne University in 1962.
Penhalluriack stood unsuccessfully as an Australia Party candidate for the federal seat of Chisholm, in 1974.
In the State of Victoria in the 1980s, fair trading laws used to deny retailers from trading outside certain hours on a Saturday, and not at all on a Sunday. A select few types of retailers were exempt from this (for example, milk bars and service stations). The name Frank Penhalluriack became synonymous with the term rebel trader, as he consistently ignored these laws, opening his hardware store outside of the legislated times. Melbourne talkback radio host and social commentator Derryn Hinch quipped at the time, "You can get a screw on Sunday but you can’t get a screwdriver.", in reference to the fact that the Victorian government was legalising prostitution at the same time they were enforcing the weekend trading laws with particular attention to hardware stores.
Officers from the department of Fair Trading repeatedly fined Penhalluriack for his breaches of the law, and the whole issue gained considerable local media attention. When Penhalluriack refused to pay, the courts compelled the police to auction his stock to raise funds to pay the fine; the auction was a farce, with grateful shoppers paying many times the market price for the goods auctioned. Eventually he was charged for his refusal to pay half a million dollars in fines associated with his trading hours. His attempt to serve a subpoena on then premier John Cain at a public appearance led to a scuffle with a yelling crowd of about 30 Right to Life demonstrators. Penhalluriack was convicted and spent 19 days in HM Prison Pentridge.
In response to public pressure, the government changed retail trading laws in Victoria, Australia to permit weekend trading. After the introduction of Sunday trading, Penhalluriack's media profile dropped dramatically. Penhalluriack has an ongoing involvement in his local community, including acting as a Director of the Caulfield Park Bendigo Bank.
Penhalluriack continues to flout trading laws, opening his hardware store on 2005-03-27 - Easter Sunday, under threat of a $10,000 fine. His stance remains popular.
To me, shopping hours and trading days have nothing to do with the Government; it is a free enterprise system. The days I want to open and the hours I want to open are between me and my customers.
"If you've got a burst pipe, what do you do - wait for 20 hours?"
Penhalluriack initially studied at Hampton High School. After Hampton High School was burnt down, he moved to Melbourne High School. He subsequently graduated with a Bachelor's of Building from Melbourne University in 1962.
Penhalluriack stood unsuccessfully as an Australia Party candidate for the federal seat of Chisholm, in 1974.
In the State of Victoria in the 1980s, fair trading laws used to deny retailers from trading outside certain hours on a Saturday, and not at all on a Sunday. A select few types of retailers were exempt from this (for example, milk bars and service stations). The name Frank Penhalluriack became synonymous with the term rebel trader, as he consistently ignored these laws, opening his hardware store outside of the legislated times. Melbourne talkback radio host and social commentator Derryn Hinch quipped at the time, "You can get a screw on Sunday but you can’t get a screwdriver.", in reference to the fact that the Victorian government was legalising prostitution at the same time they were enforcing the weekend trading laws with particular attention to hardware stores.
Officers from the department of Fair Trading repeatedly fined Penhalluriack for his breaches of the law, and the whole issue gained considerable local media attention. When Penhalluriack refused to pay, the courts compelled the police to auction his stock to raise funds to pay the fine; the auction was a farce, with grateful shoppers paying many times the market price for the goods auctioned. Eventually he was charged for his refusal to pay half a million dollars in fines associated with his trading hours. His attempt to serve a subpoena on then premier John Cain at a public appearance led to a scuffle with a yelling crowd of about 30 Right to Life demonstrators. Penhalluriack was convicted and spent 19 days in HM Prison Pentridge.
In response to public pressure, the government changed retail trading laws in Victoria, Australia to permit weekend trading. After the introduction of Sunday trading, Penhalluriack's media profile dropped dramatically. Penhalluriack has an ongoing involvement in his local community, including acting as a Director of the Caulfield Park Bendigo Bank.
Penhalluriack continues to flout trading laws, opening his hardware store on 2005-03-27 - Easter Sunday, under threat of a $10,000 fine. His stance remains popular.
To me, shopping hours and trading days have nothing to do with the Government; it is a free enterprise system. The days I want to open and the hours I want to open are between me and my customers.
"If you've got a burst pipe, what do you do - wait for 20 hours?"
This is what happened again on Easter in 2003:-
From The Age Newspaper
Easter ban cost traders millions
June 11 2003
June 11 2003
By Darren Gray
State Editor
Victorian businesses say they lost tens of millions of dollars in revenue because of the Bracks Government's controversial Easter Sunday trading ban.
And in a survey of 300 Victorian businesses, an overwhelming majority said the Government should not be able to tell retailers when to trade.
The Australian Retailers Association survey also found that most businesses believed the Easter Sunday ban was introduced without adequate consultation.
The research comes as Premier Steve Bracks said that he hoped the law would not be broken next year.
Businesses said that, on average, they lost $2500 in revenue over the Easter weekend because of the new trading restrictions.
Brian Donegan, executive director of the Australian Retailers Association (Victoria), said it would be impossible for businesses to recoup the lost revenue.
"As a result of the Government's decision thousands of businesses were shut that would normally be open," he said. "And we estimate that they lost tens of millions of dollars in revenue over that weekend."
The key findings of the research include:
•92 per cent said that the communication of an exemption rule to the trading ban was inadequate.
•83 per cent said the Easter weekend was more important, or as important, as other weekends in terms of revenue.
•73 per cent said they received negative complaints or comments from customers about Easter weekend closures.
Mr Donegan said the Government rammed through the changes, did not consult with industry and handled the process badly. "It shows that the Government has got it wrong on this issue and that they should not have made any changes to the trading arrangements over Easter," he said.
Under changes that passed Parliament just before Easter, stores with more than 20 staff were prohibited from opening on Easter Sunday. They faced a $10,000 fine if they defied the ban.
But last Friday, Police Minister Andre Haermeyer said that stores found to be in breach of the law would not be prosecuted. He said police had taken the view that some retailers did not fully understand the law.
Speaking on Radio 3AW yesterday, Mr Bracks said it was appropriate to let traders off with only a warning if they had breached the law. "In the case of a new law which is being introduced . . . a proper education campaign is required, we've done as best as we can to inform the public and shop traders," Mr Bracks said.
"I think it's reasonable when you're introducing that to give a warning system rather than a complete fine system."
Mitre 10 chief executive Frank Whitford said the trading rules would have cost the hardware industry at least $33 million. "I went out on the Sunday and I went to not only our own stores but to some of our competitors stores, and there were literally people pulling up and you could see the frustration on their faces when they found the stores were closed," he said.
Hardware operator Frank Penhalluriack, who said he traded on Easter Sunday in breach of the law, said trading hours should be the responsibility of the shopkeeper. But if the State Government was committed to having regulated shop trading hours, it should leave the regulation to local government, he said.
The Opposition's small business spokesman, Bruce Atkinson, said: "This was a backroom deal that stitched up an Easter Sunday holiday and it was not to anybody's benefit, apart from a few people associated with the union."
And in a survey of 300 Victorian businesses, an overwhelming majority said the Government should not be able to tell retailers when to trade.
The Australian Retailers Association survey also found that most businesses believed the Easter Sunday ban was introduced without adequate consultation.
The research comes as Premier Steve Bracks said that he hoped the law would not be broken next year.
Businesses said that, on average, they lost $2500 in revenue over the Easter weekend because of the new trading restrictions.
Brian Donegan, executive director of the Australian Retailers Association (Victoria), said it would be impossible for businesses to recoup the lost revenue.
"As a result of the Government's decision thousands of businesses were shut that would normally be open," he said. "And we estimate that they lost tens of millions of dollars in revenue over that weekend."
The key findings of the research include:
•92 per cent said that the communication of an exemption rule to the trading ban was inadequate.
•83 per cent said the Easter weekend was more important, or as important, as other weekends in terms of revenue.
•73 per cent said they received negative complaints or comments from customers about Easter weekend closures.
Mr Donegan said the Government rammed through the changes, did not consult with industry and handled the process badly. "It shows that the Government has got it wrong on this issue and that they should not have made any changes to the trading arrangements over Easter," he said.
Under changes that passed Parliament just before Easter, stores with more than 20 staff were prohibited from opening on Easter Sunday. They faced a $10,000 fine if they defied the ban.
But last Friday, Police Minister Andre Haermeyer said that stores found to be in breach of the law would not be prosecuted. He said police had taken the view that some retailers did not fully understand the law.
Speaking on Radio 3AW yesterday, Mr Bracks said it was appropriate to let traders off with only a warning if they had breached the law. "In the case of a new law which is being introduced . . . a proper education campaign is required, we've done as best as we can to inform the public and shop traders," Mr Bracks said.
"I think it's reasonable when you're introducing that to give a warning system rather than a complete fine system."
Mitre 10 chief executive Frank Whitford said the trading rules would have cost the hardware industry at least $33 million. "I went out on the Sunday and I went to not only our own stores but to some of our competitors stores, and there were literally people pulling up and you could see the frustration on their faces when they found the stores were closed," he said.
Hardware operator Frank Penhalluriack, who said he traded on Easter Sunday in breach of the law, said trading hours should be the responsibility of the shopkeeper. But if the State Government was committed to having regulated shop trading hours, it should leave the regulation to local government, he said.
The Opposition's small business spokesman, Bruce Atkinson, said: "This was a backroom deal that stitched up an Easter Sunday holiday and it was not to anybody's benefit, apart from a few people associated with the union."
EVEN till today, he at 64, he still fights!!! hahahxxx
He has 2 kids, Christopher, 14 and William, 11.
He also sits on the Board of Directors, Bendigo Bank, Victoria.
Where exactly is his hardware shop?
Penhalluriack's Building Supplies
345 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield 3162
Phone: (03) 9523 6000 FAx: (03) 9523 0772
Penhalluriack's stocks over 26,000 different lines to ensure you can get just what you want for the job.
Trading Hours:
Mon - Fri 7.30 am - 6.00pm Weekends and Public Holidays 8.30am - 5.30am
Mon - Fri 7.30 am - 6.00pm Weekends and Public Holidays 8.30am - 5.30am
Open everyday except for Christmas 25th. Dec
Why Penhalluriack's Building Supplies??
Knowledge is power: Penhalluriack's team is highly trained and skilled. Most have already done the job you're doing, and already know the problems you are going to face. Use my staff's knowledge to make your task easier.
Time is money: That's why Penhalluriack's stocks over 26,000 different lines to ensure you can get just what you want for the job. From tools to timber, clocks to chlorine, if you use it, the chances are we sell it.
Price is important: That's why Penhalluriack's buys direct from over 150 suppliers, and doesn't belong to an expensive promotional group. That's why we operate on thin margins - to always ensure the best value for our customers' dollars.
The result: The right product at the best price, with lots of free advice.
well, at the end of the day, i still salute him for his efforts into the commitment into the business. =D
FRANK - THE REBEL TRADER!
I enjoy going to his shop but I have not been there for ages. even this trip to melbourne.. the time was so rush that i could not find time to go look see look see...
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REFERENCES
http://www.pens.net.au/
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/10/1055220597462.html
http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/community_bank/community_directors.asp?community=20
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Penhalluriack
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-Reported by: DFRN Australia
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