Taranaki Councils Consult on Easter Trading

MEDIA RELEASE DATE: 25 January 2017

Taranaki Councils Consult on Easter Trading

‘To shop or not to shop,’- this is the question Taranaki’s three district Councils are asking their communities.

New Plymouth, Stratford and South Taranaki district councils are all currently consulting about whether their residents want shops open on EasterSunday.

South Taranaki District Council group manager of environmental services, John McKenzie, says the councils decided to consult at the same time to make it less confusing for the public, which reflects the collaborative relationship the three councils have.

"All three councils are asking the same three questions: whether Easter Sunday trading should be allowed throughout their district, or just in specific parts of their district, or not allowed at all,” he says.

The move comes after the Government changed the law in August to allow councils to choose their own Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policies.

While Easter Sunday is not officially a public holiday in New Zealand, shops are required to be closed, although a number of shops like dairies, cafes, pharmacies, souvenir shops, garden centres and service stations are already exempt from the rule.

McKenzie says that Foodstuffs NZ, who own New World and Pak’n Save supermarkets, and Retail NZ had written to the councils asking for public consultation on the issue.

Public consultation in Stratford District runs until 10 February, while both New Plymouth and South Taranaki close on 20 February.

To find out more about the councils’ Easter Sunday Shop Trading proposals and to give your feedback go to your Council website (details below) or local Council Library or administration building.

ENDS

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