<p>Federal Small Business Minister Nick Sherry, speaking on the benefits of online shopping, said: "In five years, other than a few specialist booksellers in capital cities, we will not see a bookstore, they will cease to exist."<br /><br />Scott Ryan, opposition parliamentary secretary for small business, said the comment was "unsurprising" given the government's poor track record on helping out bookstores, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported.<br /><br />In 2009, the government chose to maintain import restrictions that would have delivered cheaper books for stores and consumers, but at a cost to the local publishing industry. Big booksellers argued it would make it harder to compete with online retailers.<br /><br />"Booksellers in Australia have every right to be angry," Ryan said.<br /><br />"Nick Sherry should be encouraging the prospects and aspirations of small business, not predicting doom and gloom and the end of book retailing - especially when one of the major problems for domestic book sales is a direct result of Labor policy."</p>
<p>Federal Small Business Minister Nick Sherry, speaking on the benefits of online shopping, said: "In five years, other than a few specialist booksellers in capital cities, we will not see a bookstore, they will cease to exist."<br /><br />Scott Ryan, opposition parliamentary secretary for small business, said the comment was "unsurprising" given the government's poor track record on helping out bookstores, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported.<br /><br />In 2009, the government chose to maintain import restrictions that would have delivered cheaper books for stores and consumers, but at a cost to the local publishing industry. Big booksellers argued it would make it harder to compete with online retailers.<br /><br />"Booksellers in Australia have every right to be angry," Ryan said.<br /><br />"Nick Sherry should be encouraging the prospects and aspirations of small business, not predicting doom and gloom and the end of book retailing - especially when one of the major problems for domestic book sales is a direct result of Labor policy."</p>