Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Editorial: Time to allow Easter shopping

By Kelly Makiha
Rotorua Daily Post·
20 Apr, 2014 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Steve Chadwick is trying to have the law changed so we can shop on Easter.

Steve Chadwick is trying to have the law changed so we can shop on Easter.

We may have experienced the last of Easter as we know it.

Local politicians mayor Steve Chadwick and MP Todd McClay are to join forces to fight for Easter trading - again.

If successful, their new bill presented to Parliament will allow retailers in Rotorua to open if they wish on Easter Sunday.

It could mean the end of what some say are archaic laws.

Mrs Chadwick and Mr McClay want those laws relaxed for Rotorua - as they are in other tourist towns Queenstown and Taupo.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It's not a new fight. When Mrs Chadwick was the Labour MP for Rotorua in 2003, her bill was defeated by 63 votes to 55. Mr McClay's attempt in 2007 lost by 64 votes to 57.

The failures were mainly because of party politics. MPs weren't prepared to vote against the party line.

This time, they reckon, it will be different.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It'll be up to Mrs Chadwick to convince her old mates from the left this is a good idea for Rotorua. It'll be a tough ask for those with strong religious, family and union ties. Those against previous attempts have argued Easter is one the few times for families to be together without the pressures of work.

Should we or shouldn't we is already being debated on social media and our website. Some say their children who work in supermarkets would have a hard time telling their bosses: "I'm sorry I'm not able to work Easter Sunday, I want to spend time with my family."

If this bill were successful, it'll be up to employers to take this into account. If staff members want to be with families instead of making money, don't hold it against them.

If you were brave enough to take a drive on Saturday into the CBD you would have been caught up in the Easter mayhem as shoppers rushed to the sales and the supermarkets while they could. In this day and age, it's all a bit silly. If a retailer wants to open, and shoppers want to shop we should be allowed - especially in a city like Rotorua.

Discover more

Easter trading: New push for change as stores stay shut

03 Apr 08:06 PM

Credit should be given to Mrs Chadwick and Mr McClay for giving it another shot. Bring on the fight.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily PostUpdated

Homicide investigation launched after woman found dead in Tūrangi

20 Jun 03:24 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

20 Jun 03:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

From the ashes: New golf clubhouse unveiled five years after devastating fire

19 Jun 10:12 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Homicide investigation launched after woman found dead in Tūrangi

Homicide investigation launched after woman found dead in Tūrangi

20 Jun 03:24 AM

A scene guard is in place, and inquiries continuing, police say.

Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

20 Jun 03:00 AM
From the ashes: New golf clubhouse unveiled five years after devastating fire

From the ashes: New golf clubhouse unveiled five years after devastating fire

19 Jun 10:12 PM
Why a 'cute' pet is now included in a pest management plan

Why a 'cute' pet is now included in a pest management plan

19 Jun 10:00 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP