Trolley push a costly exercise

By Alison Noonan
SHOPPERS will have to pay for the privilege of pushing a trolley through the supermarket next year.
Councillors at last week’s Casey Council meeting voted to enforce a new local law on businesses in the city, requiring the installation of coinoperated mechanisms to shopping trolleys.
The new law will be known as Casey Community (shopping trolley) Local Law six and will come into effect on 1 March 2006.
The coin mechanisms are expected to reduce the number of abandoned trolleys dumped throughout the city by encouraging users to return the trolleys to supermarket bays where they will be refunded.
The resolution followed a period of heated debate between councillors over the inconvenience the coinoperated trolleys would place on supermarkets and customers.
Springfield Ward councillor Ben Clissold claimed he would be “terribly put out” by the new law as he never carried loose change when doing the groceries.
“My view from my own personal experience is that this is not going to work. I think the inconvenience far outweighs the benefits. I never have any change on me. Even now I only have $1.50 in my pocket,” Cr Clissold told councillors.
Strathard Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford agreed, stating the trolleys would impose an extra cost on supermarkets that they would then pass onto their customers.
“I think we should be trying to encourage, not discourage businesses. It should be voluntary as to whether they have them or not,” she said.
However, Mayfield Ward councillor Kevin Bradford argued that the coinoperated trolleys worked successfully for supermarket giant ALDI and was confident it would be equally as effective for other retailers.
“We need to take proactive measures to get these eyesores off our streets,” Cr Bradford said.
“I agree that some smaller retailers should be eligible for exemptions but this new measure will actually save them money.
“Instead of having to replace and buy new trolleys when they’re not returned, residents will have to return them to get their money back or kids will take them back to collect the coins,” he said.
Four Oaks councillor Roland Abraham said the new law would be a “proactive way forward” in the fight to combat abandoned shopping trolleys.
Araluen Ward councillor Rob Wilson claimed Cr Clissold’s attitude that the measure was inconvenient was “selfish”.
“Money is what makes people responsible and that’s exactly the point.
“(Cr Clissold) needs to remember the Pavlov’s Dog Principle if he doesn’t follow it then it will bite him,” he said.