Newsagents have faced severe challenges in 2020 – from drought, bush fires, storms, floods and of course the COVID-19 pandemic. Who would have thought this time last year that disaster upon disaster would be piled high. Newsagents have also faced personal and family challenges – whether they be financial or on the health front.
Throughout the problems faced, and despite threats to their own and business wellbeing, Newsagents continued to trade providing essential services to their local communities, supporting those who needed information, news and basic supplies.
Governments at all levels rose to the challenges faced by small and family businesses. Whilst industry suppliers may have given some support to Newsagents, not all were as supportive as many had hoped.
2021 offers hope for a more relaxed but still COVID safe trading environment. The focus on local rather than interstate and international travel will allow Newsagents to leverage off the “staycationers” and hopefully maximise sales in the remaining days before Christmas, well into the New Year and traditional school and family holiday period.
NANA, as a representative organisation has come through 2020 to be in a better place than where we were at the start of the year. Our levels of service continue to broaden and our emphasis on supporting Members – individually and as an important industry comprised of small and family businesses, will always be NANA’s focus. Our staff resources have increased, financial sustainability is as assured as it can be and our influence has returned to much higher levels than past years.
Daily, NANA represents Members, as individual businesses and as a group to politicians, regulators, publishers, suppliers and other industry participants. NANA achieves “cut through” which often isn’t available to individual Newsagents. NANA utilises that ability to get to the right person at the right time to assist Members and hopefully put them in a better position.
NANA is now taking the leading role in advocacy in industrial relations for the industry. Through cooperation rather than competition, NANA has been working during 2020 with ALNA to project a unified voice to the Fair Work Commission, Fair Work Ombudsman and similar agencies. Whilst pragmatic, this approach delivers better outcomes for the whole industry.
NANA’s Board, comprised of Phuong Nguyen, Keith Kearney, Peter Watt, Chris Genders and Rohan Rees all contribute to the day to day and ongoing management of your industry association. Their roles and contributions are not diminished by their volunteer status as they always bring professionalism, industry knowledge and fairness to the Board table.
NANA’s staff – Dianne Murphy, Alan Price and Ian Booth are dedicated to the Newsagency cause. Dianne, Alan and Ian are known to many of you. We are fortunate to have them on the team to ensure Newsagents get the attention they deserve. NANA also utilises a range of consultants to assist Members with expert advice – so the team is larger than what it appears on the surface. Importantly, NANA Members have the benefit of the experience of other NANA Members. Whilst each problem may be unique, there is always another Newsagent who has been through a similar experience. NANA has the ability and is fortunate to be able to plug-in to that network of experienced professional Newsagents.
On behalf of NANA’s Board and staff, we wish you every happiness for Christmas and the New Year with the added hope that 2021 will be a better time for all Newsagents.
Brian Woods
NANA President
