Oh shut up you goose!
National leader Christopher Luxon vows to review Easter trading laws if elected
The Easter Show has returned to Auckland after a three-year hiatus and National’s leader was there hoping he’s come up with his own show-stopper.
Christopher Luxon is vowing to review our controversial Easter trading laws if elected in six months’ time.
Christopher Luxon made an entrance and made acquaintances at Auckland’s Easter Show on Saturday.
And with the election spinning ever closer he made an Easter promise to review the holiday’s trading laws.
“It’s something we’re definitely up for reviewing,” he said.
Trading is restricted on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And the rules depend on where you are in New Zealand because some councils have passed their own bylaws.
But even if a business can open at Easter, overarching laws still apply for example, alcohol can only be sold if the customer is having a meal.
Last year the Labour Inspectorate received 17 complaints, of which two businesses were prosecuted.
Look, the moaning from retailers that they can’t open the cash registers and worship the consumer culture of consumption over Easter bores me immensely because I’ve always believed that public holidays should be mandatory.
It’s not that I really care about the death and supposed resurrection of Jesus Christ, (good luck to anyone who wants to take their moral compass from an invisible flying wizard who sends his only son off to get nailed to a cross by his own creations), it’s that I care deeply about the need for us all to put down tools as citizens on specific days and all of us venture out into our amazing public spaces and be friendly with one another.
The importance of our civility in public towards one another, the importance of being tolerant of each other while sharing the same space and the importance to actually stop working and enjoy doing nothing but spend time with our family, friends and whanau would do more to building that sense of nationhood than any amount of debate over changing the flag could ever achieve.
As citizens, we have earned the right to have days off, and we need to hold onto this right and understand it is the universal application that is so important. It’s the need to share our beaches and out door spaces together on these days that builds bonds between families and groups of people who would never otherwise meet in their busy 9-5, 5-9 lives.
For those public servants forced to work while the rest of us play, the media should be full of ‘spare a thought for’ type stories so that our public servants who must continue to staff essential services while the rest of us relax are given the respect and admiration they deserve for their selfless functions.
That sense of self identity and nationhood that we always whine about not being present during Waitangi Day takes effort and can’t simply be left up to the ‘free market’. The space where that national identity can take shape has to be universally applied in the form of mandatory public holidays and not left to be traded in by unscrupulous employers who if given half a chance would make ‘Hi Ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go’ the new National anthem.
The thousands of different interactions generated by us all respectfully sharing the same space together on set days would do more for our understanding of each other than a million angry Talkback callers ever could.
What is the point of being a citizen in a democracy if we can’t enjoy the leisure of spending time outside in this glorious country?
Are we really all wage slaves?
Is that what a modern democracy has been denigrated too?
‘I-have-a-dream-to-work-every-hour-of-the-day-by-a-boss-who-is-screwing-me-over’ isn’t particularly inspirational is it?
Enjoy your time off this Easter – you deserve it and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise!.
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Meh idk Martyn,
I wanted to buy beer on Sunday and it was annoying that I couldn’t.
That’s kind of it.
Also they’re reviewing Easter trading laws, which is a very different thing to reviewing whether or not it’s a public holiday.
If businesses want to open on a public holiday and pay labour 50% higher wages than they otherwise would that’s fine by me.
When I worked retail as a student I used to love public holidays, because time and a half is great, and every day is ‘holiday-adjacent’ as a student anyway.
So, why didn’t you just buy 2 bottles on Saturday?
Exactly. Thinking ahead isn’t too difficult is it?
Honestly?
My partner was in charge of the shopping (a rare occasion) and didn’t buy any.
Buying it when you need it ensures they are cold. Be real.
so you don’t have a fridge or an esky johan?
So, why didn’t Matt just buy 2 bottles on Saturday?
Because few of us are perfect and righteous with excellent 20/20 hindsight, unlike you.
So you want the state to tell when you can buy beer? Or have one at a restaurant.? Or if you can drink at a Sunday BBQ? Then you may as well ask the state to tell us when we should go to church to worship the Easter Bunny. Or when shops can start selling them and those Santa Choccies, like they do anyway 8 months in advance. Yes, terrible thing to be imperfect, hey Matt!
but cabbage house he’s prepared to get righteous about people having a day off.
I’m with you. Keep the statutory holidays, but get rid of the restrictive laws, and treat Good Friday the same as any other state holiday, and Easter Sunday like any other Sunday.
Christmas Day is the only day on which trading and work restrictions need to remain.
It is dishonest of the union movement to exploit religion to preserve restrictive work practices on days that have little or no religious significance to most people.
I agree.
If you do not want to work, then don’t.
There are 24 hours in a day, approximately 365 days a year. Surely those who want to work can be trusted to schedule their own work hours.
They just need to find someone willing to pay for their effort.
FARMERS!
Watch this.
YouTube. Russell Brand talks with Vandana Shiva.
“Here’s my conversation with *Vandana Shiva where we discussed Dutch party: BBB’s recent election majority victory and what this means for the Dutch Farmers and the governments who oppose them.”
https://youtu.be/up_SQJHR6U4
The National Party, and now the infectious disease born of the greed of the national party known as neoliberalism has been exploiting you for generations. ( Labour was merely the innocent incubator of roger douglas’s ACT party AKA neoliberalism. )
* Vandana Shiva.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana_Shiva
“Vandana Shiva has written and spoken extensively about advances in the fields of agriculture and food. Intellectual property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology, bioethics, and genetic engineering are among the fields where Shiva has fought through activist campaigns. She has assisted grassroots organisations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria with opposition to advances in agricultural development via genetic engineering. ”
If you think the link above is off-topic then remember; when the bellies full, all else is art.
until they slap a surcharge on purchases to make up for the fact they can’t manaqge basic accounting matt
Matt. When I was working the gritty holiday jobs which some folk have to do every day, we got double time on public holidays, and I volunteered to work every single one I could. Sometimes we got double time plus a day off in lieu, which is more than they get now.
You could alway brew your own beer like chasps in my family did, as well as Auntie Iris. I once flatted above two nurses who even made their own wine and sometimes heard bottles exploding in the night, but no great harm was done. If the thirst gets too bad, maybe go to church and receive multiple communions, or just drink hand sanitiser ?
Boohoo so idiot couldn’t buy his beer on one day, go dry for once boozehead!
Don’t be so childish Antforce62.
We need less choice and more prescription from govt. Since we don’t know what to do with our lives, it’s best that “THE GOVT” (preferably a socialist/far left govt) tells us exactly what to do, when to celebrate and take holidays, live and breathe, what to have for dinner and breakfast, and when and how to wipe out bottoms. MORE STATE – FEWER CIVILIANS, YEAH!!!!
Why do you even bother.. Nothing you’ve written since I’ve been looking at this blog has had any value whatsoever.. Even the sarcasm you’ve attempted here is just immature passive aggressive posturing for its own sake.. In your defense, it’s of a level with most of what passes for “intelligent” comment in this country… No defense at all when all said and done. But hey, NZ is “special” don’t you know.. Even if most of the world neither knows, or cares whether it exists.. It’s been decades since NZers actually showed a spine… I’m not holding my breath on that score.. You let yourselves be bought and paid for by John Keys handlers, and now look at what you’ve allowed to happen.. NZers no longer own their own future.. Thank all you “loyal” kiwis.. You’ve been utterly dudded, and you thanked them for doing it.. Nothing left for it now but to reinstall the criminals who smoothed the way for the new owners… National in govt this year? Only for as long as their owners say they can be…
Ahh Stefan, here I was thinking I was the only one. The fact he changes his pseudonym so often shows even he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on.
Great post Stefan.
Stefan and Bert. Kraut’s a young guy thinking and that’s perfectly ok. At least he’s not a supercilious git or a dedicated following of fashion. Sometimes there’s kernels of truth in what he says even if he has “ an incorrect world view” or is not the “ single source of truth.” If Helen Clark had had her way, half my light fittings would have had to have been replaced to accommodate Labour Party lightbulbs, and nor do many of us want to shower with a friend any more than we want little girls having to share toilet spaces with blokes in frocks.
It’s under this government that the burning of books began and William Shakespeare has been demonised, and that’s much worse than the thoughts of Kraut.
Snow White, your world view is different than mine and to use your own words, your supercilious thoughts that others are “gits” because they have a different outlook on life makes you a hypocrite.
It is clear you have no like for Labour as you holding onto your distaste for Clark shows, so although you condemn others as followers of fashion, you show yourself as shallow to thinking outside your right wing bubble.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer Bert and I’d not jettison the whole of the Labour Party because of one or two people; you’re welcome to think differently from me though.
It’s not about a dislike for Labour in general,it’s about a dislike for the current mob who are the worst Government in New Zealand’s history.
By every metric that is true.
It’s not about a dislike for Labour in general,it’s about a dislike for the current mob who are the worst Government in New Zealand’s history.
By every metric that is true.
Gosh Stefan you have set a personal best, grammatical errors galore.
Nevertheless Bert enjoyed your rambling.
Your ramblings are twice as good, posting them twice indicates dementia, which at least gives evidence to your condition.
Bob still going on about grammatical mistakes yet posts twice. A common theme with our Bob.
Shouldn’t call out others mistakes Bob as you come across silly.
actually cabbage it’s a lack of regulation that’s fucking up NZ duopoly and gib board being just 2 examples
Open the supermarkets 365 I reckon. Workers can practice their religion during their meal breaks.
Definitely should be reviewed,it’s out of date.
how so? exactly please
A religious ceremony which is no longer observed as such by a majority of the population.
A religious ceremony which is no longer observed as such by a majority of the population.
I am so fed up listening to bad music on a phone while waiting for service.
and that has exactly what to do with public holidays johan? ever tried the vodaphone helpline on any day of any week
It is now all about fitting 37.5 hours of public service into 168 hours for public servants.
The only limitation is set by your boss who expects some to be in an office for specified hours or work remotely for unspecified or specified hours.
Flexibility is the greatest modern gift for us humans …….. it is the human feeling that entitlements comes with now strings attached that is the human curse…
any business that can’t factor in extra wages for public holidays in their computerised accounts system should not be in business
I know of no business that knows exactly what its going to earn nextvyear to the dollar.
bg in this conversation that’s apro pro of exactly what?
Ban Sunday trading and bring back Late Night Friday!!
And smacking.
“I’ve always believed that public holidays should be mandatory.”
And that encapsulates the difference between you on the left and me right in the middle. Leave me to make my own decisions thanks.
I have 3 children. One occisionally works up to 30 days in a row in 12 hour shifts. That often allows him to have two months off after that shift. A normal shift though is 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Another works a 9 day fortnight and the last works a 4 day week evry week. All negotiated and yes, they sacrifice a bit of income to take those extra days but they make their own decisions and do not need government intervention to determine when they have holidays.
So thanks, but no thanks.
but but ….. it is a Christian euro centric white patriarchal tradition, so its ok to axe it.
Why should I be forced to take leave on days I have no belief in?
I would prefer to work rather than take woke religious days off based on a made up fairytale.
In saying that sausage, you were against Matariki based on race which makes you a racist.
Yes, it all started out well before Christianity became a thing.
Too right more extra holidays. We now have Matariki. I’m all for Eid, Vesak, Diwali, Hannuka, Spaghetti Monster Day There’s an extra weeks holiday right there. Oh and Thanks Giving Harvest Fest for the Greens. Any reason for a holiday is a good reason.Let’s do this.
I’d go all out for Sir Edmund Hillary anniversary but sadly knighthoods were completely watered down when Key and English gifted each other one.
We would enjoy plain old Ed Hillary Day just the same.
Jacinda Ardern abdication day?
Ponytail pulling day or Mcgehan Close day?
No problems getting a drink just need to buy a token meal.
Staff love working get overtime rates and days in lieu.
Nevertheless it’s an anachronism in need of review.
?
Martyn – As long as the workers agree, and get time and a half, and a day in lieu…should be okay?
What is wrong with people as far as I know the world won’t end just because a shop isn’t open to cater for whims. I think it is ridiculous that shops are open all the time.
We have the morning of anzac day
easter Friday and Sunday
Christmas day
AND
Matariki – I know Maori don’t want this to become just another shopping day.
I went to a pub and had to buy food in order to drink, not actually a bad idea health wise, so Luxurious Seven Houses Evangelical Nightmare can shut his trap and fly to the moon with the other moronic males that still dominate politics and capitalism.
While I agree with you about public holidays easter is no more Christian than any other time of the year, it is a man-made (via a church) holiday but no basis in scripture. I think workers need a break though, so Friday & Sunday without trading should stay.
While you are entitled to your view regarding the invisible flying wizard any sensible study of scripture will find that it promises us eternal life on a restored Earth with no problems.
It is the Easter bunny.
To be honest, I quite like the idea of everything being closed on public holidays.,
Indeed Millsy.
Same.
@ Millsy. Me too. There’s something wonderfully comforting about there being [nothing] open to spend money on. Weird aye? It’s like re wilding. Re naturalising. Returning to something more natural. More normal. As fuckin if. The neoliberals will be spasming for the lack of a profit free day or two. If no one’s spending money how might they keep the foreign owned banksters they sold us out to happy? The foreign owned banks must get their $180.00 a second for god’s sake! And then there’s the returns on our once were state owned assets! Oh my God! Imagine if they were left to wither!? What then of the riche scum who bleed us out for their profits!? We must think of them! What would they do without us?
Millsy. Me too.
Millsy Agree. The way persons are moaning away here one’d think that they’re being asked to practise Christianity instead of just enjoying having a day or two off work – or allowing others to.
@millsy +1
It’s a pain in the arse, our presbyterian/ old NZ easter. Closing, closing, closing. Like the good old bad days, for ever more.
Modernization is needed, all it is to me is the mothballs of the old closed NZ John Cleese so completely indicted.
Yes sumsuch the left are always stuck in the past. They lack innovation and creativity.
Yes sumsuch, much like the right stuck in the past where their only modernisation is to build more roads, have a low wage economy and build the economy on the back of immigration. Now that’s innovation!
Bert the tenant,be careful you have demonstrated your lack of innovation.
Bob you are being silly again and you know it.
It seems to me to be be a last gasping effort for retail workers to have a day off as opposed to anyone else. Their bosses are happy to make a quid and the workers get paid more if they choose to work. Let’s face it no one gives a shit about gas station workers, doctors and nurses, police firefighters or rest home workers. They’re not real people, they’re there just to serve us. It’s selective BS from the past when the Christian religion was the big deal in NZ. If you haven’t already noticed it isn’t. And it isn’t Labour Day either.
An uber rich cultural idiot like Luxon who earns more weekly from his rental properties than many citizens do per annum, would probably try to abolish the four seasons if he could see an advantage for the masters of the universe in doing so.
He’s meant to be a Christian, so I refer him to Ecclesiastes 3 : 1-8. “ There is a time for everything And a season for every activity. “. One doesn’t have to be religious to appreciate the symbolism of Easter, and only a complete bloody fool would want every day like the next one, with no patterning.
A handful of days a year when Christopher and co can’t buy beer, are zilch trade-off for others to have rare unencumbered time off and IMO he is a very selfish human being.
Just the storybook symbolism of a bunny bringing Easter eggs is lovely for kiddies, even if the farmers of Central Otago and Canterbury think a little differently, and Luxon has no right whatsoever to start smashing time-honoured social traditions. Key was bad enough trying to change our flag, but Luxon seems worse, just as vulgar, smarmy, and a barbarian,
Alberta,
I think the majority of New Zealanders agree with Luxon.
anyone who thinks depriving workers of their right to public holidays is going to rejuvenate the NZ economy is delusional it’s all about business not having to pay time and a half on a few days….that’s it, end of, full stop
oh FFS – communism is stateless and does not rely on a tripartite agreement with big brother for it’s days off – this sort of nonsense just perpetuates what marx warned of. everyone is dreaming bourgeoisie dreams whilst living proletariat nightmares. wake up – lol.
Bugger the nats not true to form, new leader rebirth rise, eh what a walk, to their knowing.
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