Public consultation is now open for Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) proposed draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025.

If adopted, the draft policy would allow the district’s shops to open on Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday is a restricted trading day under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 (Act) which requires shops to remain closed, except for certain shops under certain conditions. These include dairies, cafes, service stations, garden centres, pharmacies, souvenir and duty-free shops.

In 2016, amendments to the Act enabled councils to adopt policies to permit all shops to open on Easter Sunday in the whole or a part of their district. This provision is only applicable to Easter Sunday and does not include Good Friday nor Easter Monday.

QLDC adopted an Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy in 2017 in consultation with the community. The now-expired policy allowed all shops in the district to open on Easter Sunday if they wished to.

Employees have the right to choose not to work on Easter Sunday.

The draft 2025 policy is open for public submissions until 5.00pm, 30 November.

Copies of the draft policy and submission information can be found online at letstalk.qldc.govt.nz or at QLDC’s Gorge Road (Queenstown) and Ardmore Street (Wānaka) offices. It can also be found at libraries district-wide.

The final policy is expected to be presented to Council for adoption in March 2025.

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