by frog
Catherine Delahunty, Sue Kedgley and Keith Locke make certain the Easter Bunny is looking perky and ready to fight Todd McClay's attack on Easter Holidays
There are some MPs intent on destroying what little respite workers have left regarding statutory days off. One of these MPs is National MP Todd McClay – who is following in the footsteps of Labour – yes Labour MP Steve Chadwick’s attempt to destroy the traditional Easter holiday period for 1000s of Kiwis.
The argument made by people like Todd McClay and his chums at the various Chambers of Commerce around NZ is that this is an issue about ‘freedom of choice’.
Of course it isn’t about freedom of choice for workers. It is about getting rid of the last few days workers and their family’s can escape from the rat race. It is about being a consumer society 24/7 365 days a year.
I hope this Bill fails as have the numerous other attempts at attacking our holiday time. All the Green MPs will be voting against when this hits the House and earlier today Keith, Catherine and Sue K all went out to support the Easter Bunny’s protest along with Santa and the NDU. There were quite a few Labour MPs too but no Steve Chadwick.
I personally think Mr McClay should take up Caritas’s challenge and give up his Christmas to discuss why he is so keen to destroy the chance for people to put their feet up and take a break.
Update: The Bill was defeated 62 – 59 at First Reading. Seven similar Bills have been introduced in the last 13 years – all defeated. At least we are spared the time and expense of yet another round of Select Committee hearings on this issue.
Published in Economy, Work, & Welfare | Featured | Society & Culture by frog on Wed, December 9th, 2009
Tags: Easter Holidays, NDU, Todd McClay
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
The day doesn’t have any religious significance for me – it is just that it is one of the few times that parents have the ultimate right to spend time with their families.
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Indeed, Josh. I agree completely.
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The law as it currently stands is rediculous.
Take Warbirds over Wanaka held every two years. You’ve got 100,000 people who can’t even buy toilet paper, tampons or food.
We have shops that want to open, workers who want to work, people who need to eat, and someone elses religion is forced onto them so none of them can do anything.
Is this New Zealand 2009 or the stone ages?
Overseas visitors shake their head in disbelief at our backwardness.
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Of course this condition is virtually global, hence it is not surprising that some visitors will feel uneasy with our few lapses from the 24*7 trading creed.
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I agree that the law as it currently stands is ridiculous. The problem with Todd McClay’s Bill is that it would have made it even more ridiculous, with local authorities deciding where shops can and cannot open and not even being required to consult with their communities in making that decision.
Let’s take up Josh’s suggestion above about making Easter Sunday a public holiday so workers who have to work that day at least get a day in lieu to spend with their families. Once that’s achieved, we can address the issue of whether and where shops can open on that day.
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A holy alliance between religion and Unions.
Too weird.
If workers want to work, and people want to shop, then what is the problem?
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Sounds sensible to me.
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Josh
That is a remarkably good idea.
Good grief even the Toad agreed to it.
Get the Fly to approve as well and it’s a sure fly goer.
Get the Frog on to it immediately, he seems to be doing buggar all lately!!
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If idiot/savant, josh, toad, bluepeter and pentwig say it’s a good idea, then I’m sold.
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Guess that’s her chances of ever becoming a Minister down the gurgler – insufficient commitment to unrestrained capitalism.
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I am in with Josh make Easter Sunday a public holiday and I will go even further and claim every Sunday a public holiday!!!!!!!
I am not at all religious but I do think that some things are sacred; every family has a right to be together for that very special day every seven days.
It seems to me that ‘Sweeney’ Tod McClay takes after Max Bradford who wanted everyone to ’sell’ thier Christmas’s. These miserable people must be really sick, they are nothing but a pack of whores at the feet of Mamon.
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The emphasis has been on Easter Sunday but could Easter Friday be made a half-day, like Anzac day. Given that Easter can fall close to Anzac day, there can be 2 1/2 non-shopping days in a row, making the few shopping days in between absolutely chaotic. I used to do weekly shopping on Saturdays and dreaded Easter, when those who usually shopped on a Friday night or on Sunday tried shopping on Saturday too – absolutely packed!
I haven’t heard any reason not to make these two days into public holidays so those who do need to work then get appropriately paid.
Trevor.
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Trevor – Easter Friday already is a public holiday – the anomaly is that Easter Sunday is not.
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Thanks Toad. That is really weird.
Trevor.
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rimu said “Maybe they should do warbirds over wanaka on a saturday instead?”
It’s held over the whole Easter weekend – three days.
People come from around the world for it.
And they can’t even buy basic necessities.
They have to spend a few hours going to Queenstown and back to get stuff (where the shops are open).
Workers are forced by law to stop working, and told by polititians to spend the day with their families, whether or not they want to, and whether or not they actually have family in Wanaka (a lot don’t).
And what can they do with their forced day off – not a lot – everything is closed.
Having the New Zealand’s number one easter tourist destination closed at easter makes NZ look backwards.
And in a decade, polititians have failed to fix this rediculous situation. And they just failed again.
Now that we all have four weeks holiday, we can have more time with our families than ever before. To use religion and the time with families excuse to forcably make everyone take exactly the same day off is draconian government inteferance in peoples lives.
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Oh
I guess planning ahead and buying enough basic necessities to last a few days is a bit beyond us?
I’m not too fazed either way.
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I don’t usually condone LSD, but I think that with regards to the Max Bradfords and the Tod McClays and their ilk it would be very theraputic. Especially in large doses!!!! They are very sick people.
We all need time out to ‘drop out’ into the bush and read a good book, go fishing and listen to all the amazing bird calls.
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