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Repeal of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Restricted Trading Days (Shop Trading and Sale of Alcohol) Amendment Bill (Consistent) [2024] NZBORARp 26 (29 April 2024)

Last Updated: 25 May 2024

29 April 2024

LEGAL ADVICE

LPA 01 01 24

Hon Judith Collins KC, Attorney-General

Consistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990: Repeal of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Restricted Trading Days (Shop Trading and Sale of Alcohol) Amendment Bill

1. We have considered whether the Repeal of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Restricted Trading Days (Shop Trading and Sale of Alcohol) Amendment Bill (the Bill), a member’s Bill in the name of Cameron Luxton MP, is consistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (the Bill of Rights Act).
2. The Bill seeks to amend the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 (Shop Trading Hours Act) to remove the restriction on trading on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The explanatory note to the Bill states that this is to allow businesses to self-determine which days they would like to open. The Bill retains the existing employee protections under the Shop Trading Hours Act that apply in respect of Easter Sunday and extends these protections to Good Friday.
3. The Bill also seeks to amend the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to remove the default restriction on the sale and supply of alcohol on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
4. We have concluded that the Bill appears to be consistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed in the Bill of Rights Act.
   

Jeff Orr

Chief Legal Counsel Office of Legal Counsel