Another parliamentary Bill to amend Easter trading laws is on the agenda for a pair of tourist-minded MPs, residents of Lake Hawea were told during a fundraising breakfast yesterday.
Rotorua and Waitaki electorate MPs Todd McLay and Jacqui Dean were guest speakers at the Lake Hawea Community Centre "business" breakfast.
Members of the Lake Hawea community are raising funds for an extension to the township's community centre.
More than 70 people attended the breakfast, where Mr McLay - the main speaker - said he and Mrs Dean intended to introduce another Bill to Parliament calling for the amendment to Easter trading regulations.
Mr McLay's Rotorua electorate is similar to Mrs Dean's Waitaki area in that they include tourist towns (Rotorua and Wanaka) where retailers are prohibited from trading during the Easter holidays, while the respective neighbouring resorts of Taupo and Queenstown have exemptions.
The pair were confident they could get the Bill passed "this time" because "New Zealand has moved on and we have a different government", Mr McLay said.
Several private members' Bills - including one from Mrs Dean and former Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick - have been unsuccessful in securing previous amendments to the law.
Mr McLay and Mrs Dean sit on the parliamentary committees for foreign affairs, trade, and defence.
Lake Hawea Community Centre expansion committee chairwoman Freda Bleasdale was delighted with the turnout.
