Newsagencies have been given the green light to stay open during the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Following representations from the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA), federal and state governments agreed for newsagencies to be considered an ‘essential service’.

 

ALNA said the decision supported “older generations who rely on newsagents for their convenience and to many others who either don’t have ease of access to digital news or whose preference is for hard copy news.”

 

Ben Kearney, CEO of ALNA, stated: “With strict cleaning protocols, personal hygiene and social distancing rules in place, and limiting how many customers can be in store at any given time, it’s undoubtedly not business as usual, however we are working hard to innovate our service delivery and this announcement from the government provides certainty, for now, to our newsagents as to their continuity of trading during these challenging and unprecedented times.

 

“Newsagents are also in a strong position to alleviate pressure on supermarkets and local grocery stores, as many provide food and beverage items and other important household items. And with school children still either attending school or being home schooled, having access to a wide range of stationery and school supplies will be a relief for parents and carers as well,” he said.