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> Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2004 > June
Shops
to stay shut A FIVE-year
battle to abolish trading restrictions has ended with
Parliament killing the Bill by 60 votes to 58.
The Bill by ACT member Rodney Hide would have allowed
shops to open on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter
Sunday.
The only other restriction is Anzac Day morning, the day
of Remembrance for New Zealand and Australia, April 25,
which the Bill would not have affected.
Parliament's commerce committee changed the bill,
recommending that shops be allowed to open on Easter
Sunday but not on the other days. However, not even the
watered-down version got through the crucial free vote in
the House.
There were 18 Labour MPs in favour and 33 against.
National put in a vote with 17 in favour and 10 against.
All NZ First's MPs supported the bill, and all the Greens
opposed it.
The New Zealand Retailers Association said it was
disappointed the bill failed.
"We are shattered that Parliament failed to adopt
reasonable and sensible changes to stop trading hour
restrictions," chief executive John Albertson said.
The current law was outdated and reinforced anomalies in
several areas of the country, he said.
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