Gisborne council moves to keep Easter Sunday trading

Gisborne district councillors have adopted a new draft policy and consultation process aimed at allowing Easter Sunday trading to continue this year. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley

Sunday trading this Easter appears likely after Gisborne district councillors moved fast at their first meeting of 2025 on Thursday - 10 weeks out from the Easter holiday break.

Easter Sunday trading has been allowed in Gisborne for the past seven years, but there is no certainty for 2025 as the council’s existing Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy lapses on March 1.

Councillors decided without dissent to adopt a Statement of Proposal, which includes the draft 2025 Tairāwhiti Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy which will go out for public consultation between February 4 and March 5.

The 2025 policy is unchanged from the 2018 policy and would allow Easter Sunday trading from this year.

A policy review was previously put on hold because of a Private Member’s Bill, which, if passed into law, would have removed the need for local Easter trading policies. That bill did not pass the first reading.

Councillors had two other options before them.

A second option was to direct a full review of the Easter Sunday with public consultation. That option, if adopted, would mean no Easter Sunday trading in 2025.

A third option was to do nothing, meaning the current policy would lapse, resulting in the loss of Easter Sunday trading from 2025.

Councillors also had the option of holding “chat with a councillor” sessions for the public to express their views on Easter Sunday trading.

The sessions would be in person, over the phone or via an audiovisual link depending on personal preference, with the councillor being supported by a council staff member.

Some councillors expressed concern over the accuracy or weight attributed to the “chats”, or the “arbitrary interpretation” of such sessions.

Councillor Rawinia Parata said “chat with a councillor” sessions could be good for emotional or contentious issues.

“This, I don’t think, is one of those.”

The matter could go straight to a hearing, she said.

Councillor Larry Foster, after declaring his interest as a retailer, said Sunday Easter trading had been in operation since 2018.

“I can’t see why there would be a problem.”

Cr Foster said there might be a lone voice against Easter Sunday trading, but other people would remain silent because they were happy with the status quo.

Cr Aubrey Ria said Easter was approaching and she would like the matter resolved soon.

It was decided that “chat with a councillor” would not be used for the draft Easter Sunday trading policy.