Hamilton says 'no' to Easter shopping

The majority, 71 per cent of the 225 submission received, opposed liberalising shop trading hours on Easter Sunday. Photo / File

Hamilton people keen to do a bit of shopping on Easter Sunday will have to travel out of town as Hamilton City Council turned down the idea of allowing all retailers the option to open.

The majority eight to three decision last week adds to the mixed bag of 'yes' and 'no' around the Waikato following consideration and public submissions to 2016 legislation which gave local authorities the option to decide.

Easter Sunday is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is one of three and a half days in which retail is restricted, including Christmas and Good Friday, which are public holidays, and Anzac Day where most retail outlets are closed until 1pm.

Unless a Hamilton business has an exemption under existing government legislation, they will not be allowed to trade on Easter Sunday.

A 2016 Government amendment to the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 giving councils the option to allow shops to trade within their council boundaries on Easter Sunday if they set a council policy.

As a result a draft Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy was developed by Hamilton City Council and went to public consultation earlier this year.

The majority, 71 per cent of the 225 submission received, opposed liberalising shop trading hours on Easter Sunday. A higher number of submissions, 61, suggested Easter Sunday was a day of religious and cultural recognition in contrast to 21 who suggested that society was made of many faiths.

Mayor Andrew King, deputy mayor Martin Gallagher and councillors O'Leary, Southgate, Macpherson, Pascoe, Casson and Henry voted not to approve the policy. Dissenting were Councillors Bunting, Taylor and Mallett.

Councillor Geoff Taylor, who came out on the losing side of the vote, felt retail should have been opened up so that businesses throughout the city could have a choice to open or not to open on that Sunday.

"At the moment only selected businesses can open which doesn't strike me as particularly fair. I'm also mindful that we are attracting more visitors and tourists and it would be nice to appear 'open for business'.

"Then again I respect the view that people want to retain time with families. Democracy wins the day."

In the meantime those keen to shop will have to go to Waikato District, (Ngaruawahia/Huntly) or further south into Waitomo. Otorohanga, Waipa district, Cambridge and Te Awamutu, decided not to offer the option to open to the full range of retail.

A restricted set of retail operations are permitted to open on Easter Sunday including dairies, service stations, takeaways and garden centres.