Easter Sunday break still valued

Advocates for Easter Sunday trading are likely to have a challenge convincing Palmerston North’s next city council it is a good idea to let the shops open.

Parliament last week passed an amendment to The Shop Trading Hours Act enabling local councils to decide whether retailers in their districts can open on Easter Sunday.

Councils would be able to choose whether to have a local shop trading policy about Easter Sunday shopping rules.

Of the 26 candidates at a preelection expo at the Palmerston North Convention Centre on Monday night, 15 were quite firmly opposed.

There was one voice in favour, so long as workers’ right to refuse to work were protected, 10 were uncertain.

Many, like youngest candidate Abi Symes, had a ‘‘gut feeling’’ it was not what the community wanted.

The ‘‘yes’’ vote was from returning candidate Bruno Petrenas, who said he saw anomalies in the types of businesses that could open at the moment, and those that could not.

But he said workers should not be threatened or coerced into working if they did not want to.

Among those firmly opposed, Martin Egan said people needed the odd day off, and Lew Findlay said whether people were religious or not, it was good for people to have some days off for family.

‘‘That’s the same for Queenstown and Rotorua. Why should our country be run by tourists?’’

Some candidates who run their own businesses were against it.

They included Gavin Edwards, Darryl Cleland, and hairdressing salon owner Gabrielle Bundycooke, who said it was her personal view that there were enough other days for people to spend their money.

Joseph Poff said people should be able to organise themselves to cope with the odd day off from shopping.

Veterinary surgeon Lorna Johnson said in a secular state religious holidays should not be just about one religion.

‘‘There should be a certain number of days off. It might be Easter and Christmas for me, but it might be different for others.’’

Fellow Labour Party candidate David Chisholm said regardless of whether they were Christians, workers deserved some public holidays.

President of the Manawatu Muslim Association Zulfiqar Butt said religious days should still be celebrated.

Green candidate Brent Barrett said he understood the need for New Zealand to be open for tourists. He said workers needed protection, and faced bigger issues than Easter trading.

Billy Meehan said he could understand the call for Easter Sunday trading in some centres, but not Palmerston North, and he and Vaughan Dennison thought it was a government cop-out to pass the issue to local councils.

Sue Pugmire said the community needed a day off from consumerism that caused pollution and climate change and emissions.

If the new city council wanted to make a policy, or was asked by the community to create one, it would go out for public consultation and councillors would have to formally hear and consider submissions.

Any changes would be in the policy, not in a bylaw, and enforcement was unlikely to become the council’s responsibility. Easter Sunday trading: Against: Martin Egan, Billy Meehan, Elizabeth Paine, Gabrielle Bundy-cooke, Adrian Broad, Sheryll Hoera, Lew Findlay, Brent Barrett, Jim Jefferies, David Chisholm, Vaughan Dennison, Sue Pugmire, Gavin Edwards, Zulfiqar Butt and Darryl Cleland. In favour: Bruno Petrenas. Don’t know: Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere, Lorna Johnson, Joseph Poff, James Etuale, Duncan Mccann, Rachel Bowen, Abi Symes, Susan Baty, and Karen Naylor.

Candidates Leonie Hapeta and Tony Mclaughlin were absent. Barrett answered by text.