Retailers denied Easter trading

Retailers hoping to legally open for business on Easter Sunday look set to be denied yet again.

Two bills aimed at amending Easter trading laws, drafted by Rotorua Labour MP Steve Chadwick and Otago National MP Jacqui Dean, failed to be drawn in a parliamentary ballot.

If either of the two bills had been selected in the ballot, legislation forbidding the retailers to open their doors on Easter Sunday would have been debated, voted on and potentially overturned.

Mrs Chadwick said she was "hugely disappointed". Three other bills were drawn out of the ballot of 28.

"It's a real lucky dip and I am sick of going through the same cycle of nonsense over and over again," she said.

She would be talking to commerce minister Lianne Dalziel about other options for saving Rotorua retailers from future prosecution by Department of Labour inspectors.

"This ballot system is obviously unhelpful to us."

The next draw is being held in February -- probably too late for Easter even if successful.

Taupo and Queenstown are exempt from the legislation, a situation that sees retailers in other tourist centres like Rotorua, Wanaka and Mt Maunganui regularly crying "unfair".

The occupier of a shop who flouts the present Easter Sunday trading law, whether they are the owner, manager or supervisor, can be fined up to $1000.

This year in Rotorua alone more than 50 retailers were summoned to court for illegally opening on Easter Sunday as part of the city's Jambalaya festival.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)