Media Release: Trading for All on Easter Sunday?

The NZ Retailers Association welcomes the report of the Commerce Select Committee recommending that all shops be allowed to open on Easter Sunday.

"We now look forward to Parliament passing the legislation to allow retailers to make their decisions to open or not before Easter this year," said John Albertson, Chief Executive of the Association.

"This issue has been before Parliament for at least the last five years and it has wasted far too much time in the House. We're pleased to see a realistic outcome and accept the Committee's recommendation that steps are taken to ensure that employees and leaseholders are not required to work or open against their will. We now hope that the recommendation of the Select Committee will be passed and the issue finally put to bed."

The Select Committee's decision, if adopted by Parliament, will overcome the historic anomalies that allowed shops in some areas and certain types of shops to open, but required others to close. There has been controversy each Easter as some shops opened in defiance of the law.

It closely follows the recommendations of the Shop Trading Hours Working Group's Report issued in June of 2003. The Working Group included representatives of retailers, consumers, unions and local government.

Further Information: 

Cliff Daly        025 371 391
Industrial Relations Consultant

Barry Hellberg        021 673480
Government Relations Consultant

New Zealand Retailers Association Inc, National Office
Level 8, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington. 
www.retail.org.nz