Extended operating hours for retail premises in response to Covid-19

The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces made the Environmental Planning and Assessment (COVID-19 Development – Extended Operation) Order 2020 on 25 March 2020.

The order allows for retail premises such as supermarkets, pharmacies and corner stores to operate 24 hours per day.

This provides retailers the flexibility to adjust and extend their hours of operation to ensure that the community has easy access to food, medical supplies and essential household goods.

The order also allows for waste removal from retail premises at any time.

Retailers that are part of hotels and motels are now also able to provide food and beverages 24 hours per day to people using their accommodation to consume in their rooms.

All other conditions still apply, and when operating outside the usual hours of operation, retailers must take steps to reduce noise. Please note that retailers may be subject to other legislative requirements which may restrict trade on Christmas day, such as the Retail Trading Act 2008.

View Ministerial Order as a PDF 

Originally published as part of "Covid-19 response and recovery".