The Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA) is continuing to call for fairness for newsagents and for lottery suppliers to take their responsibilities and relationship with newsagents seriously.
Just as ALNA has campaigned for the soon-to-be-passed amendment to the Interactive Gambling Act (meaning the banning of betting on lottery outcomes), ALNA is seeking a more mutually beneficial relationship for lottery operators with Australia’s newsagents and lottery retailers, especially in the online space.
“We’re focused on helping newsagents receive better deals on the products they actually sell and are legally permitted to sell, as well as making sure they aren’t excluded from access to the digital economy,” ALNA CEO Adam Joy said. “And unlike a PR stunt that might not even be legal and doesn’t come with longevity, we’re looking at opportunities for improved arrangements for newsagents with Tatts [Lottery].
“ALNA has already successfully negotiated to reduce our retailers’ expensive shop-fit-out costs significantly and extended time frames to complete these fit-outs. And we’ve arranged for a further agreed review of costs, with the intent of arriving at a more acceptable long-term cost model for Tatts retailers. We’re now in the midst of finalising this review and also negotiating through detailed submissions to improve overall remuneration.”
Mr Joy says ALNA is the only national association representing newsagents and lottery agents in every state and territory of Australia, and the only newsagents’ association with a national collective-bargaining authorisation from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. As such, he adds, it is the only association that is negotiating with Tatts for further improvements.
“The bottom line is it’s all about fairness – fairness for the more than 2,000 newsagents that are members of ALNA,” he said. “That’s why we’ve been collectively negotiating with Tatts for some time on a number of issues.”
Negotiations are particularly focused on digital equity and access to a shared omni-channel online model that includes retailers, as well as the appropriate model and cost for retail shop-fits and overall improvement of the remuneration of lottery retailers.
“ALNA is determined to see these issues resolved for its members, and for Tatts to meet its obligations and responsibilities in those negotiations to reach outcomes for the benefit of all parties,” Mr Joy said.
