Passing the buck on shop trading

So, here’s the thing. Prime Minister John Key describes the current line on Easter trading as ‘‘mad’’. No disagreement there. The crazy inconsistencies, anomalies and general unfairness are talked up every autumn.

Currently, the likes of Queenstown and Taupo business areas can open during the Easter break, while Rotorua and Blenheim can’t.

The law also lets people attend Super Rugby games or go to the movies on any day over Easter, but not pick up a punnet of cabbages from a garden centre on Easter Sunday. Bizarre. Our leaders have failed abysmally to sort the situation over the years.

It is hard to see their latest move achieving anything – unless they make things even sillier.

Apparently, Key leaned on his MPs to vote in the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill.

The new law simply passes the buck from central to local government.

This could mean the same arguments playing out separately across our 67 territorial authorities. Mad indeed.

Early battlelines will be drawn in places like Blenheim.

Its district council is already working on a policy to enable retail businesses to open for Easter Sunday trading if they wish.

Tens of thousands of people attend Marlborough’s annual Easter air show, a huge opportunity for tourist-related busi- nesses if the current situation is relaxed.

This won’t happen without council debate and public submissions.

With local elections looming, it is one more issue for would-be councillors to take a position on.

The Government can get antsy when local authorities stray into areas beyond the basics – sewage, water, stormwater, roading.

The likes of fluoridation, drinking water standards, river and air quality – and the sanctity or otherwise of religious holidays – are best handled nationally.

New Zealand is a secular nation.

Easter Sunday is not treated as a public holiday, meaning penal rates do not apply.

Other days are revered by nonChristian faiths.

The only rational position is to allow retailers to open, or close, on any day they wish, while offering meaningful protection to those employees who object to working on set ‘‘sacred’’ days.

Sometimes MPs must make tough decisions.

Why else do we pay them?