Rejection of Easter Trading Good For Family Life
MEDIA RELEASE
10 December 2009
Rejection of Easter Trading Good For Family Life
Family First NZ is welcoming the rejection of the private members bill allowing Easter Trading, but is calling for a blanket ban across the country rather than the inconsistent approach currently used.
“Rotorua has every right to feel peeved that Taupo can stay open but they can’t. The law needs to be consistent and fair,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“This is also not an issue about choice as has been argued. For many workers, they don’t have the luxury of choice as to whether they work or not.”
“Poll after poll has shown that both parents and children want to spend more time together doing family things like picnics and holidays together. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult as the retail industry is required to work almost every day of the year, and shoppers focus on the holiday specials.”
“Public holidays are traditions. They create rituals for families, not based on shopping but on celebrating together, reconnecting, and making memories.”
“Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in “The Politics of Hope” said “Public parks make no economic sense at all. We leave a whole lot of space unbuilt on and not capitalised in any way, but that is not the reason we have them. We have parks because they do us good…. They do not make economic sense but they do us good.””
“Tourists will cope,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Many countries have public holidays with shops closed, and tourists simply plan around it, accepting it as part of the local culture and identity. NZ’ers love visiting Pacific Island nations and still manage to enjoy themselves even when everything shuts down on a Sunday.”
“The politicians should give the workers a break.”
ENDS