A move to try to change
New Zealand's Easter trading laws has again fallen over,
after Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean decided to postpone her most
recent attempt at a law change.
Mrs Dean pulled her Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Waitaki
Easter Trading) from Parliament last month when it became
clear she did not have enough support in the House to pass
her private member's Bill.
She decided not to put a rewritten Bill before Parliament at
a members' day yesterday.
"I have come to the decision that I'm not going to introduce
my Bill to the House until I have the numbers I need to turn
it into law. I do not believe I have the numbers to be
successful. I don't want to take the risk of seeing my Bill
defeated at this stage."
Mrs Dean said she remained committed to trying to effect a
law change, to uphold a promise she made to Wanaka retailers
to correct an existing anomaly that exempts Queenstown from
the law because it is a tourism destination.
Wanaka Chamber of Commerce president Leigh Stock said his
members appreciated Mrs Dean's efforts and backed her
decision.
"It's pointless in trying if she hasn't got the numbers.
She's looking at her options and has members who need to be
swayed," he said.
Mrs Dean has "substantially rewritten" her Bill by dropping
Waitaki electorate townships from her plans, to focus on
changing the law as it applies to the "tourist hot spots" of
Wanaka and Rotorua. The Bill's coverage has been extended to
Rotorua because the town faces a situation that is similar to
Wanaka's, with neighbouring Taupo having a trade exemption at
Easter.
The other two significant impediments to the Bill's progress
had also been revisited, Mrs Dean said. Extra clauses had
been drafted to protect workers, with those rostered on at
Easter able to decline to work without any penalty.
"I also acknowledge and respect that, for some, Easter has a
significant religious value and, while I am still committed
to the concept of choice, I have decided to exclude Good
Friday from the Bill, focusing specifically on Easter
Sunday."
The Wanaka Chamber of Commerce was aware of the changes and
supported Mrs Dean "doing what she needs to try for change",
Mr Stock said.
Mrs Dean's setback is the latest in a long line of
unsuccessful attempts to change the Easter trading laws.
There have been 10 attempts in the past 20 years to have
Easter Trading laws changed by Parliament.
Changes to the laws have been vigorously opposed every step
of the way by the National Distribution Union, which
represents shop workers, and religious groups.
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