Easter trading: Support grows for choice

FILE

The issue of Easter trading in Rotorua has been discussed at length for the past 10 years and a number of bills have been brought before Parliament regarding the issue.

The vast majority of people spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post are in favour of a law change to allow business owners the choice to open for the traditionally busy long weekend.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh said the chamber would support any legislation that gave members the choice to open and trade for Easter weekend.

"We all know that over Easter visitor numbers increase significantly and at present local businesses lose the opportunity to capitalise on this as they are prevented by law to do so.

"The law needs to change to allow business owners to make their own choice as to open or not," he said.

A recent survey of Rotorua residents revealed almost 80 per cent of people were behind a law change.

The online survey of 400 people revealed 79 per cent of Rotorua residents agreed "shops and other hospitality or entertainment businesses should be able to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday if they want to".

Eighteen per cent of people surveyed said no to Easter trading and 3 per cent said "don't know".

Of those who said yes to Easter trading, 71 per cent said they would eat out at a cafe or restaurant during Easter, 63 per cent said they would go shopping, 50 per cent said they would visit a garden centre and 35 per cent said they would have a drink in a bar or pub.

Just a few weeks ago former political adversaries in Rotorua, mayor Steve Chadwick and Rotorua MP Todd McClay, announced they would work together to have the law changed for Rotorua.

Both have attempted to change the law while in Parliament, but have met with no success.

In 2003, a bill introduced by the former Labour MP for Rotorua, Steve Chadwick, reached its second reading before being defeated 63 votes to 55.

In 2007 her member's bill was rejected by 64 votes to 57.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay introduced a member's bill to Parliament in 2009 titled "Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 Repeal (Easter Sunday Local Choice) Amendment Bill".

This Bill was lost at its first reading by just two votes.

Mr McClay said the vote was a conscience vote, but MPs often voted along party lines meaning opposition MPs introducing such a bill would not have much luck getting it passed.

Now, Rotorua's council will make another concerted effort to bring Easter trading to the city.

All but one councillor voted to lobby the Government to have Rotorua included in Easter trading exemptions.

Councillors decided to "formally write to the Prime Minister and local MP Todd McClay asking that the issue of Easter trading in Rotorua be included in the carry over motion for Government".

Councillor Janet Wepa was the lone voice who spoke out against the proposal.

Councillor Karen Hunt said it was time to get rid of the "archaic system" which was "a nonsense".

Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson said the law mystified visitors from overseas who found a top tourist destination essentially closed for Easter.