The nation's peak retail body wants all shops in Queensland's most populous region to be open 14 hours a day for six days of the week.
The National Retailers Association (NRA) is lobbying for 7am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday trade for southeast Queensland during a state industrial relations commission hearing on Monday.
NRA chief executive Trevor Evans told reporters ahead of the hearing that the longer trading hours have the potential to add $11 million to the state's economy and create 1000 extra jobs.
Mr Evans said the southeast needs one set of rules to replace a shambolic patchwork of up to 20 trading zones.
"It is a nightmare and very confusing for both customers and retailers," he said.
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He said the rules, introduced 25 years ago, have also not kept up with the growth of online shopping and the changes in customers' behaviour.
"Many of us work outside the standard work hours and many are juggling a whole lot of family commitments on Saturday and so that Saturday afternoon has become incredibly important.
"Unfortunately, in some parts of southeast Queensland we are still shutting the doors in customers' faces at 5pm when they most want to shop."
