Councillors to decide on Easter Sunday trading

Whanganui District councillor Charlie Anderson

Councillors have been asked to choose between business and community as a decision looms on whether to allow Whanganui shops to trade on Easter Sunday.

The role religion should play in the decision featured heavily as Whanganui District Council's statutory management committee heard public submissions on its proposed Local Easter Sunday Trading Policy on Tuesday.

In September council opened its policy to public consultation and its submission Mainstreet Whanganui - which represents 212 central business district members - supported allowing shops to open on Easter Sunday.

It surveyed the 75 members of whom 70 per cent said they would not open on the day even if they could but most supported shops being able to.

Of the 30 per cent which would open, many said it was one of their busiest weekends of the year.

"Based on the responses from our members we support that council policy be that shops within the Whanganui CBD be able to trade on Easter Sunday should they wish to do so," Mainstreet's submission said.

Some submitters were against allowing Easter Sunday trading purely on religious grounds.

"Non-believing and non-compliance with God's laws in no joke," Doug Piper told councillors.

To which councillor Charlie Anderson asked: "Why should I not be able to go shopping on Easter Sunday, as an atheist, because you say?

"I want to go to Mitre 10 on Easter Sunday. Why can't I? You can stay home if you want to. You have that option. I have an option to go shopping as I so choose."

But chairman of the Wanganui Christian Leaders Association, Nigel Irwin, said he didn't expect councillors to make a decision based on one religion.

Instead he argued against Easter Sunday trading based on history, tradition and keeping a rare day aside for families to spend time together.

"We don't have a poverty of business in this country but I believe we have a poverty of family," Mr Irwin said.

"We have an opportunity with this policy to make a decision between families or businesses, between community and profit.

"Keeping the policy as it is allows us to make a statement as a city that families are important to us."

Councillor David Bennett suggested "this particular day is part of our culture as much as it is part of religion".

Mr Irwin agreed.

"There's lots of reasons for the things that we do. Often the reason we still do them are not the reasons we started doing them."

Councillor Helen Craig said such issues were tough ones for councillors to make a decision on.

"My biggest conflict is as a council we are trying to grow Whanganui. We haven't been the strongest economy in the past and we're finally growing and it's great to see that,"
she said.

"I personally am trying to support Mainstreet and on the other side I have my personal Christian beliefs."

Trading is restricted on Easter Sunday by legislation but since 2016 councils have had the ability to introduce local policy to allow all shops to open across an entire district or in certain areas.

Councillors will deliberate on the submissions next Tuesday.