Comments on: Voting on Easter Sunday Trading Bill

By: The Gnat Exterminator

The Gnat Exterminator — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:58:22 +0000

I’m in favour of allowing shops to open on Easter Sunday – but think we should close them all day on ANZAC day.

By: Richard McGrath

Richard McGrath — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:53:40 +0000

Has anyone considered the financial and emotional investment that business owners make, and the fact that to ban them opening their doors on Easter Sundays deprives them of the capacity to work that day? What if they are struggling to pay off a huge debt after purchasing the business?

Why should atheists, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, etc., be forced to observe a Christian festival?

Millsy: if workers “having a day taken off them” is bad, would it not be good to give every day back to them, i.e. make their jobs redundant?

Monty: wowsers is an apt description of those who opposed this bill; they are interfering busybodies, many of whom have never owned a business themselves.

By: Abbie's Ghost

Abbie's Ghost — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:55:56 +0000

I think that you can’t vote for a badly desinged bill if the real problem isn’t being challenged or changed. I would have prefered that there was a real comprimise found that satisifed unions and the concerns of the reality of employer-employee relationships, while at the same time reinforce consumer freedom and entrench the employer’s responsibilities and opportunities.

and the matter of letting local councils decide is not always a bad one.

Making Easter Sunday a public holiday is not such a bad idea but I would like to see what else is on the table.

My gut says that if a comprimise couldn’t be found under a Labour government, then the possibility of a concensus probably could never exist.

By: How they voted | Kiwiblog

How they voted | Kiwiblog — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:01:57 +0000

[...] Grant Robertson blogs those who voted for letting communities decide, and those who voted against. [...]

By: Trevor Mallard

Trevor Mallard — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:50:00 +0000

Is it true that Jim and an other changed their voting intentions after the promoter of the bill attacked them in his reply speech?

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:30:54 +0000

With a law like this, businesses may have had choice but many workers would have had none. I’m glad this bill was defeated.

By: David Farrar

David Farrar — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:03:55 +0000

Grant is right and the Herald wrong. I’ve sighted a scan of the tellers sheets.

By: Spud

Spud — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:22:54 +0000

I think make it a public holiday so that people who have to work can get extra dosh. But keep the shops closed so that families can spend the day together.

By: Edosan

Edosan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:17:14 +0000

I think it should be a public holiday. The fact that it isn’t is an accident of history from the days no one contemplated working on a Sunday. That doesn’t mean I think shops should be open.

By: pentwig

pentwig — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:56:43 +0000

On another blog is the suggestion to make Easter Sunday a public holiday.

I think this is a grand solution.

Would that suit the unions?