Easter trading bill pulled from debate

Photo / Herald On Sunday

National MP Jacqui Dean is re-jigging her bill to extend Easter trading because it did not have the numbers to pass in its current form.

Dean's member's bill, the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Waitaki Easter Trading) Amendment Bill 2010, would allow retailers within the Waitaki electorate to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The area included Central Otago, the Mackenzie District, Queenstown-Lakes, Timaru, Waimate and Waitaki.

It was due to have its first reading in Parliament today and, if it passed that hurdle, it would then be considered by a select committee. All bills involving religion were a conscience vote, meaning MPs could vote on their personal beliefs rather than along party lines.

"I've pulled it from the debate today because I was doing the numbers and I didn't have enough numbers to get it past the first reading," the Waitaki MP told NZPA.

MPs opposing the bill were doing so on either religious or worker protection grounds, she said. She accepted she could not move those objecting for religious reasons but planned to amend it so employees could refuse to work Good Friday or Easter Sunday.

"I'm pretty sure about what I'm going to do so I just need to craft it ... and take it to those colleagues who are concerned about worker protection and see if that is enough to vote in favour of the bill going to select committee," Dean said.

"What I really want is for the bill to get as far as select committee so we can have a really good discussion on 'what is it that will give comfort to those people who object to the bill on the grounds of worker protections'."

Workers were already covered by the Employment Relations Act.

Seven previous attempts to amend Easter trading hours have failed since 1996 but Dean did not accept that that was because the public wanted to preserve 3-1/2 days a year - Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning - without the pressure of work.

"The counter argument to that is that every worker has four weeks' paid annual leave plus 11 statutory holidays, so it's not true to say that there are only 3-1/2 days where people get to enjoy time with their families," she said.

"It's an argument that's put up but it's one I don't happen to agree with.

"Essential services like medical, ambulance, airline pilots, all work throughout those days. There's always somebody working in an essential service."

Dean hoped to have the amendments in place before the next member's day, two sitting Wednesdays from today.

- NZPA