Lee Melissa: Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLee Melissa: Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 03 November 2015. Volume:709;Page:7619. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MELISSA LEE (National): I would just like to thank the member Iain Lees-Galloway for pointing out that it is actually a conscience issue. I am taking a conscience vote and I will be voting for this legislation and I would actually take issue with that member. If members of the public listened to that Opposition member’s speech they would think that on Easter Sunday New Zealand was shut down—that everything was shut down and there were no hospitals there were no police officers and there was nobody on duty. They would think that we have turned the lights out and gone home for the day and that we do nothing as a family. They would think that spending time with our families does not mean that we actually travel to different parts of New Zealand—that as families we actually want to go and do things together as tourists or that within our own country we also act as tourists and we do visit some cities that are actually not open to tourists.But this is what we are trying to do. We are trying to give people the choice to open up for that tourist market. If those cities want to open up then they can. I am really—Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi: Enjoy it with their family.MELISSA LEE: Then they can enjoy it with their family—that is right Mr Bakshi. I am pleased—Hon Maggie Barry: Go gardening.MELISSA LEE: Exactly. Sometimes as a migrant—well not a new migrant; I have been here for nearly 30 years—it used to really surprise me having grown up overseas and come to New Zealand to see New Zealand shut down at a particular hour. That was really really surprising. You know we were closing shops at 5 o’clock when in other cities shops were open to 10 or midnight or all night—Hon Member: 24/7.MELISSA LEE: —and 24/7. It is about choice. It is about people wanting to have that choice to either go and spend their money—go shopping and do touristy things—or to go and spend time with their family and have meals at a restaurant. Whatever it is it is their choice.So I am really pleased to be able to take a call in the first reading of the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill and I commend the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety for bringing this bill to the House. Do you know just in the last few years as the Minister pointed out there have been a number of debates about the Easter trading law including debates on the member’s bill of my colleague and my next-door neighbour Jacqui Dean and on the Hon Todd McClay’s bill as well. Each time that legislation was debated in this House it fell short of the mark due to an odd amalgam of voting behaviour and a mix of reasons by MPs for their opposition to the change.I think you know today we are able to see the beginning of the end of the debate for New Zealand shopkeepers and businesses. This House will give back to communities the decision of when and where and how their ratepayers want to operate their Easter period.When my colleague Jacqui Dean the member for Waitaki spoke on the legislation she said: “Easter trading is just such a contentious issue and any proposed change always gives rise to questions about how to strike a balance between the interests of businesses and the interests of employees alongside public recognition of … activities.” I would like to add my own words by adding the religious and cultural significance of that date as well. For Christians Easter Sunday is the foundation of our faith. It was when Christ died on the cross and his resurrection proved Him to be the son of God.But modern-day New Zealand is actually a multicultural country. It is actually a multi-ethnic one and it is actually a multi-religious one. It is secular and the needs of one should not overweigh the needs of another. I believe that. The law changes that we are proposing today that we debate today seek to address the balance. This law will give the decision-making powers back to the people. It is a long-term fair and appropriate solution that will not burden communities with a law that they do not actually want.Earlier I think it was Mr Iain Lees-Galloway who was actually saying that he wants one law for all—is that right? But Easter trading is actually not about central planning. We have different rules for different cities and there are some cities in New Zealand that can actually trade during Easter and there are some where you cannot. What we are trying to say is that we actually need to give the decision back to the people for them to decide because they can have the choice.Andrew Bayly: We trust them Melissa—we trust them.MELISSA LEE: And we do actually trust them. This is a great bill and as chair of the Commerce Committee I look forward to the submissions on this bill. Thank you very much. I commend the bill to the House.