Greymouth retailers can open on Easter Sunday

Greymouth businesses will be able to open for commerce this Easter. Photo/File

Greymouth retailers will be free to open this Easter Sunday after the Grey District Council last night short-circuited the consultation process to formalise the policy in time for
April 16.

The council meeting on March 13 agreed in principle to allow Easter Sunday trading following public consultation.

At a special meeting Tuesday, Mayor Tony Kokshoorn was the sole dissenting voice against consulting for a policy, in line with his firm opposition to Easter trading.

The meeting was called because while the council had consulted and then voted on the principle of allowing Easter Sunday trading, it also needed to develop a policy to regulate it.

The draft policy put on the council table last night was intended for public consultation using a special consultative procedure to enable the public to make written submissions on the principle and content of the policy.

Because that process will not be concluded in time for this Easter the council is calling on Department of Internal Affairs inspectors to exercise discretion under the law.

Councillor Murray Hay said it was a good outcome, given the public expectation.

"I was a wee bit concerned that we had [earlier] passed something we wouldn't be able to bring into place this Easter," he said. "Otherwise we would have had people saying we'd brought this bylaw in [but] they would have to wait a year."

Councillor Peter Haddock, who previously opposed Easter Sunday trading, missed the meeting last night, leaving only the mayor to vote against it.

- Greymouth Star