Running the gauntlet of Easter trading hours

Most New Zealanders will be enjoying a few days off over Easter, but two groups will be hard at work - retailers defying restrictions on their trading hours and Department of Labour inspectors trying to catch them.

The dispute over holiday weekend trading hours is as perennial as the shrubs garden centres get prosecuted for selling when they shouldn't.

There have been several attempts to change shop trading hours. Since 1997 five bills before Parliament have gone to a conscience vote, with only a 2001 amendment to allow garden centres to open on Easter Sunday succeeding.

Two more private members bills aimed at changing holiday trading laws are waiting to be drawn from the ballot. Rotorua Labour MP Steve Chadwick's bill, if passed, would give local councils the ability to permit shops to open on Easter Sunday, while Otago National MP Jacqui Dean wants to allow shops in towns with a significant visitor industry to be able to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Department of Labour staff will be visiting retailers this weekend to enforce the law as it stands.

"If a business does not clearly fit into one of the exempted categories, it is an offence to open and trade during any time the law restricts trading, and the owner or occupier of the shop may be prosecuted and fined up to $1000," said principal Labour inspector Muriel Kelly.

Last year the department successfully prosecuted 77 retailers for trading on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Yesterday, Newmarket Business Association head Cameron Brewer said it was outrageous Auckland retailers had no ability to apply for an exemption for this weekend, despite the influx of Rolling Stones visitors expected.

"It is crazy that Parnell can trade on Easter Sunday because it got an exemption in 1989, but Newmarket can't. It's equally crazy that visitor destinations like Queenstown and Taupo can trade, but Rotorua, Mt Maunganui and Wanaka can't.

But National Distribution Union National Secretary Laila Harre said shop owners should shut their doors over Easter and respect the law and values of family and community.


Open some hours

In general, shops cannot trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Exceptions are dairies and service stations (for essential supplies only), food outlets (to sell food already cooked or prepared), duty free stores (duty free sales only), a shop selling services (so long as they only provide the service - renting a video, as opposed to selling one), garden centres (Easter Sunday only), a shop at a public transport station (with certain conditions), shops or stalls at an exhibition or market, souvenir shops, and pharmacies.