PRESS RELEASE

Hamish McConnochie

Aligning the Wellington Anniversary Weekend with the NZI Sevens

Wellington City resident, Hamish McConnochie, believes that the Wellington Anniversary Day should be moved to fall on the first Friday of the Sevens rugby weekend.

McConnochie, who studies law and media at Victoria University, believes there are many benefits of such a move.

He points, in the short term, to 2012. “With Waitangi Day falling on the Monday, moving Anniversary Day will give us a four day weekend, and plenty of time for party-goers to have fun and recover”.

Even in years where Waitangi Day doesn’t coincide with the event, McConnochie cites other effects of moving the holiday, which he believes will benefit residents, businesses and visitors.

“People working Monday-to-Friday will no longer have to wait until 5 pm or use a day of annual leave to attend the event. Having that day as a public holiday will also contribute to the party atmosphere of the event.”

“Anniversary weekend is often an excuse to escape the city, but instead we will have a real incentive for residents to stay home, party, and just enjoy the atmosphere. This will be good for retailers all around the respective Wellington cities.”

“Anniversary weekend, at the moment, is currently in the school holidays. As such, it can easily coincide with people’s vacations, which means there is less utility in using the day for a long weekend [as opposed to having it in February].”

McConnochie is aware of a vocal minority, particularly online, who dislike the Sevens and the behaviour associated. McConnochie believes such a move would also be beneficial to that group.

“By having a long weekend for the Sevens, those who don’t wish to be present for the event now have a greater opportunity to ‘escape’”.

McConnochie is of the opinion that businesses will benefit from such a move too. “It’s not like we’re adding extra holidays to the schedule, we would simply be moving one. I’m sure businesses would rather have staff work the Monday closest to January 22, as I presume staff would be far more productive then than on Sevens’ Friday.”

McConnochie also cites the ability of such a move. “With the repeal of the Holidays Act 1981, Anniversary days are no longer required to fall on a Monday.”

“Christchurch has moved their Anniversary Day to fall on the Christchurch Show Day and Melbourne has a public holiday for the Melbourne Cup. The Sevens, arguably, are Wellington’s equivalent and it would not be out of place to follow those cities’ leads.”

When asked about potential opposition, McConnochie stated;

“The provinces were abolished in 1876, meaning no one alive would have lived in that province. No regional body today accurately reflects Wellington Province, making it an essentially redundant celebration. I would be surprised if residents of Whanganui, for example, felt a strong affinity to Wellington. At least by moving the holiday, they have a greater incentive to come to Wellington than previously.

“The current situation is absurd, as the same logic for celebrating the foundation of Wellington province could also be used for celebrating New Zealand becoming part of New South Wales in 1839. Yet this does not happen, as New Zealanders probably feel they don’t have a strong enough connection with that State to warrant such a holiday. That reasoning is analogous to the current situation with Anniversary Day.”

ENDS

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