Council Told To Give Aucklanders Easter Sunday Off

Media Release 11 June 2017
Family First NZ is telling Auckland Council to give Aucklanders the day off on Easter Sunday, that it will benefit families, and that tourists will cope.
“We reject any liberalisation of Easter trading laws and Anzac and Christmas days because workers deserve this special annual break to spend time with their families. If anything, we should have more public holidays around for example Labour Day and Waitangi Day. Economic improvement needs to be finely balanced with family and community time. Anzac Day, Easter, and Christmas remain as the few times when the whole country stops and takes a break. How long before attempts are made to liberalise trading laws around Anzac Day and Christmas day,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“The only people demanding Easter Sunday trading are those who will make money from it.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in The Politics of Hope said “Public parks make no economic sense at all. We leave a whole lot of space unbuilt on and not capitalised in any way, but that is not the reason we have them. We have parks because they do us good…. They do not make economic sense but they do us good.”
“Public holidays are the same. New Zealanders deserve the break. Significantly we are aware of some major retail chains who did not open on Easter Sunday even in areas where they were allowed to.”
“Public holidays are traditions. Poll after poll has shown that both parents and children want to spend more time doing family things like picnics and holidays together. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult as the retail industry is required to work almost every day of the year, and shoppers focus on the holiday specials. To argue that it is justified because shoppers are able to shop online is a flawed argument. If it was a valid argument, retailers in NZ would have to be open 24/7,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“This is not an issue about choice as has also been argued. For many workers, they don’t have the luxury of choice as to whether they work or not. Coercion to work will be a very real threat, as was in evidence just last month.”
“We also know that Christmas, Anzac Day and Good Friday will soon be targeted because there is money to be made.”
“Tourists will cope. Many countries have public holidays with shops closed, and tourists simply plan around it, accepting it as part of the local culture and identity,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“We should keep the Easter culture, for the sake of families.”
ENDS