Dump Latest Easter Shop Trading Bill

The Kiwi Party has come out strongly against MP Jacqui Dean’s Easter Shop Trading Bill which would see retail shops in Timaru, Waimate, Waitaki, Queenstown-Lakes, the Mackenzie and Central Otago open for trading on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Party’s spokesperson and former MP Gordon Copeland, has labelled this latest attempt to reduce shopping free holidays in a part of New Zealand from three and a half days each year, to just one and a half, as outrageous.

“Bills on this issue have been trotted out with monotonous regularity by various MPs over a number of years only to be rejected time after time by Parliament”, said Mr Copeland. “And I’m staggered that having been defeated once, Jacquie Dean who introduced a similar Bill in the last Parliament is at it again”.

“If the Bill survives its first reading, unions representing thousands of retail and associated workers, will once again launch a petition pointing out the negative consequences to them and their families of having to work over Easter. Church leaders and people of good will from one end of the country to the other will point out that just one and a half days holiday from shopping each year is going to hurt family life and get togethers of all kinds and Parliament, when it concludes, as it will, that three hundred and sixty one and a half days of shopping per year is more than enough, will again vote the Bill down.”

“MPs could do us all a favour if they simply vote the Bill down at its first reading on 22 September. Then all of us, but especially retail workers and the army of contractors who keep our shops supplied, can relax, look forward to and plan their much deserved Easter break” said Mr Copeland.

ENDS

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