But viewpoints that are, usually, diametrically opposed shift when Parliament holds one of its rare debates when MPs vote according to their conscience rather than the party whip.
A conscience vote applies on what some might call ‘‘Sin Bills’’ - i.e., something to do with sex or booze. They used to be a parliamentary staple but with the greater liberalisation and secularisation of New Zealand society they are a much rarer beast these days.
That said, one hardy perennial type of such a Bill keeps coming back for more - shop trading hours. More specifically, the possible sale of alcohol on public holidays.
In December 2024, Act New Zealand MP Cameron Luxton failed in a bid to allow shops to open and hospitality venues to serve alcohol on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
But almost as soon as the issue went away it is back on Parliament’s Order Paper, thanks to Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill.
Luxton’s Bill failed because it was broad enough to attempt to remedy the ridiculous situation where Department of Internal Affairs staff are out on patrol every Easter to crack down on the terrible scourge of garden centres trying to sell begonias when they are legally meant to be closed. Labour, concerned with potential encroachment on workers’ rights to a statutory day off, voted as a bloc no.
McAnulty’s Bill - which looks very likely to pass all stages and become law - is narrower. Its aim is to clear up the myriad confusing, contradictory and in some cases just plain barmy rules and regulations concerning alcohol sale on public holidays.
Anzac Day is in the Bill so that RSAs do not have to apply for a liquor licence to hand a tot of rum to veterans after they have remembered fallen comrades. Easter and Christmas are there so licensees do not have to keep track of who has ordered a legally ordained ‘‘meal’’, or not, with a glass of wine or a pint.
Also, as Waitaki MP Miles Anderson pointed out in his second-reading speech, the proposed law changes are also there for businesses and event managers in tourist traps in his electorate, like Wanaka.
‘‘We have enormous events over Easter in particular - one coming up is Warbirds Over Wanaka,’’ he said.
‘‘In the past, the hospitality providers in the area have not been able to serve alcohol with any of the food that they provide. This will go some way to addressing some of the concerns that a number of my constituents have raised with me.
‘‘I’ve been lobbied by both sides of the argument, as I’m sure most of the House has. I’ve given it a lot of thought.
‘‘I believe that, really, if you can’t be organised enough to have your off-licence purchases organised prior to these few days, you probably shouldn’t be drinking at all, really.’’
That said, Anderson felt that at select committee his concerns about off-licence trading had been addressed and, buttressed by the hard work of the justice committee, he was prepared to continue voting aye.
‘‘A big portion of those that would be seeking hospitality during these days are tourists and are generally used to, in other countries, receiving a full suite of what’s available from the hospitality providers in the countries they come from or a lot of the countries that they travel through,’’ he said.
Act’s man on the justice committee is Southland list MP Todd Stephenson, and he addressed the elephant in the room straight away, telling McAnulty that he had the proxies in hand to cast 11 Act votes in favour.
This mattered because there has been no little amount of bad blood between the parties over Labour not supporting the Luxton Bill - he and McAnulty spent most of the first-reading debate gnawing away at each other on that particular bone.
‘‘You should take some delight, maybe, that Act will actually be voting for a Labour member’s Bill tonight,’’ Stephenson said.
‘‘Like the good old days,’’ McAnulty exclaimed.
‘‘Yeah, Roger Douglas would be proud,’’ Stephenson replied.
Whether the Act founder and former Labour finance minister actually would be proud is a moot point, but Stephenson went on to say that while still disgruntled by the sins of the past, Act was not going to stand in the way of ‘‘advancing freedom and advance actually making New Zealand just a little bit easier to do business and live your life the way you want to.’’
That said, Act still wanted to amend McAnulty’s Bill somewhat, Stephenson warned. Living just up the road from some of the country’s best vineyards, Stephenson had been a vocal supporter of Stuart Smith’s proposal to clarify the law concerning cellar-door sales, and during select committee it had been highlighted that some clauses of that Act could clash with McAnulty’s Bill.
‘‘Another thing I picked up tonight, and I just want to make sure people are crystal clear - and I’d actually ask the Greens to maybe reconsider their position - that no-one is going to be forced to work any more or any less than they already are,’’ he added.
‘‘We talked about this in select committee: these are businesses that are already opening. Employees are already turning up to work. They’re already going to be there serving their community, and that might be a restaurant or a pub that is already going to be open.
‘‘They’re already there. They’re not being asked to work any more.’’
There are strong arguments in favour of law reform in this area, but there is also a solid cohort of New Zealanders - let alone MPs - who for reasons of morality or tradition do not want the existing laws trifled with.
‘‘Is nothing sacred any more in this country,’’ Taieri New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson implored.
‘‘Is there no day that we’re not prepared to commercialise to the hilt? Are we making that much sacrifice under the status quo?
‘‘We are a nation built on Christian values. We do have reverence around Anzac Day and remember it’s there, as we absolutely should, but these days, whether you’re religious or not, these are the values that we’ve inherited and we’re cultivating and are the stewards of.’’
Patterson stressed that he liked a drink as much as anyone else, and noted that he might even have had the odd tipple with the member bringing forward this Bill.
‘‘But that’s not the point. It’s not a great sacrifice that we make under the status quo. I think our values are worth more than that. There are those 3½ days where the world doesn’t stop but it slows down a little bit, and I think that’s a good thing. I think that’s something we should cherish and it’s something we should protect.’’
That is as may be, but the House disagreed voting - as it did at first reading - 67 in favour and 54 against.
Of our southern MPs, Rachel Brooking, Joseph Mooney and Messrs Anderson and Stephenson voted for; Patterson, Penny Simmonds, Ingrid Leary and Green MPs Francisco Hernandez and Scott Willis against.
Do the arithmetic there and the importance of Act’s 11 votes is immediately apparent, as is the need to keep potentially wavering MPs like Miles Anderson on-side.
Managing a conscience vote is a tricky thing and while his prospects look bright McAnulty will need all the skills he honed as a whip and now as shadow leader of the House to keep all his ducks in a row.
