Traders at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne say they feel "blindsided" by management's decision to charge for utilities, storage, and waste, and increase licence fees.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00 Rosa Ansaldo has been the face of a fruit and vegetable stall at Queen Victoria Market
00:07 for more than three decades.
00:09 Her son is the voice.
00:15 Up till now they've only had to pay rent and a licence fee for their site.
00:19 But that's about to change after an email from the market's managers was sent to her
00:24 and fellow traders.
00:28 Last week, traders were told that from the start of 2025, they'll have new bills to pay
00:33 to cover waste disposal, water and electricity - costs that are currently covered by rent.
00:39 "You've got solar panels on the roof, so I can't understand it.
00:43 I just think it's a money grab."
00:45 The email to traders blamed high inflation for the rising costs to manage the market.
00:50 "It's fresh food stalls like these that will be impacted more than the clothing and souvenir
00:54 shops.
00:55 That's because they generate more waste and use more electricity for cold storage.
01:00 The market's management says it's a fairer and more transparent system.
01:04 But these stallholders will have to pay anywhere between $3,000 and $10,000 more each year."
01:10 "So the customer's going to wear the burden in the end.
01:14 And that's a disappointing thing."
01:15 "I'd say a lot of people will walk."
01:17 Longtime customers are not happy.
01:20 "No, I would hate that."
01:22 "It's no good.
01:23 It's like a retail shop outside."
01:26 Many stallholders say they are happy to cop a 4% rise in licence fees, but say they are
01:31 reeling from disruptions caused by ongoing construction to renew the entire site.
01:36 "I believe it's a money grab to finance the top-heavy management."
01:41 "We've had no extra traders in a couple of the other sheds which are all empty now.
01:44 Those are the costs where they've lost, but they're passing them on to us."
01:49 The market's CEO Matt Elliott told the ABC he's confident this Melbourne icon will remain
01:54 affordable for traders and shoppers.
01:57 Others are not so sure.
01:58 3.10, darling.
02:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]