Nelson-Tasman polls reveal contrasting views on whether to allow Easter trading

Stuff co.nz 22 November 2016
Family First Comment: Interesting conflict between method of polling…
“Of 1421 online surveys completed, 62% WERE AGAINST allowing Easter Sunday trading. That was in contrast to the telephone survey, which found 55% WERE IN FAVOUR of letting the shops open.”
Nelson-Tasman residents appear divided on whether Easter Sunday trading should be allowed in the region.
Tasman District Council strategic policy manager Sharon Flood said most of the 595 respondents of a telephone survey were in favour of allowing the shops to open while the majority of participants in an online self-selecting survey said no.
Flood said she would recommend TDC develop a policy on the issue to go out for public consultation.
“So we can hear from the rest of the population,” she said.
Of 1421 online surveys completed, 62 per cent were against allowing Easter Sunday trading.
That was in contrast to the telephone survey, which found 55 per cent – or 328 of the 595 Nelson-Tasman people interviewed – were in favour of letting the shops open. A higher percentage of Tasman respondents backed a change with 57 per cent saying they were in favour of allowing the shops to open compared with 54 per cent of Nelson respondents.
Of those questioned, 77 per cent said TDC and Nelson City Council should have a joint policy.
Flood said she did not believe the public view on whether to allow Easter trading was clear from the different survey results.
She told councillors earlier this month that the telephone poll was added over concerns there “may be some bias in the [online] survey because it is self-selecting”.
READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/86733297/nelsontasman-polls-reveal-contrasting-views-on-whether-to-allow-easter-trading