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In December 2024, Small Business Minister Jackie Jarvis urged West Australians to direct some Christmas spending to local small businesses, suggesting vouchers and experiences such as workshops. The appeal followed reports from businesses near one North Perth shop that the year may have been their slowest in a decade—a local account, not a statewide retail statistic.
What prompted the 2024 appeal to shop local?
PerthNow reported on 7 December 2024 that Small Business Minister Jackie Jarvis encouraged shoppers to support local small businesses during the critical Christmas trading period. She also pointed to avoiding delays associated with online purchases. The comments described the 2024 Christmas season, not current retail conditions.
Jake Simmons, owner of Two Green Men, an indoor plant shop in North Perth, said businesses around him had described the year as possibly their slowest retail year in ten years. He put the stakes this way: “It’s make or break for a lot of businesses, especially in a retail climate like now.”
Simmons’s account reflects what nearby businesses told him; it does not establish that retail across Western Australia had its slowest year in a decade.
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What local gift options did the story highlight?
Vouchers and experiences
Jarvis suggested putting a portion of a Christmas gift budget toward a local business, including through a gift card or voucher, or by giving an experience such as a workshop. These options can make a local purchase without requiring the recipient to choose a particular physical item.
Terrariums and workshops in North Perth
Two Green Men specialises in terrariums and offers workshops on making terrariums and other living creations. The PerthNow report described gifting as a focus for the shop, making its workshops one example of the experience-based gifts in Jarvis’s appeal.
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How to use the appeal as a practical gift-buying guide
For shoppers weighing local options against online orders, the story’s suggestions point to three useful questions:
- Will the purchase support a local WA business? Consider buying directly from a nearby shop or booking an experience offered by a local business.
- Would an experience or voucher suit the recipient? A voucher or workshop can be a flexible alternative to choosing a specific product.
- Can the gift be obtained in time? Jarvis cited avoiding online-purchase delays as one reason to consider shopping locally. Check a retailer’s stock, booking availability and collection arrangements before relying on a particular option.
How to interpret the spending figure and Christmas hours
Jarvis was quoted as saying, “On average, Australians spend over $700 at Christmas time on Christmas gifts.” PerthNow did not identify the estimate’s original source, data-collection year or methodology. It should therefore be read as a figure Jarvis cited in the 2024 report, not as a currently verified average.
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The same report said extended Christmas trading hours had begun in Perth metro and some regional locations on the Saturday before publication. For the 2024 season, it listed general retail store hours of 8am daily, closing at 9pm on weekdays and 6pm on weekends, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Those were historical hours, not current opening times or guidance on present trading rules; check current information before visiting.
Read Rebecca Le May’s PerthNow report, published 7 December 2024.
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