National Cops A Bloody Nose Over Holidays

The Holidays (Transfer of Public Holidays) Amendment Bill has been sent to select committee for consideration despite the opposition of National and ACT.

Labour MP David Clark’s sponsored bill would mean that when Waitangi Day and Anzac Day fell on a weekend there would be a holiday on the Monday.

Three weeks ago Clark explained his reasoning for the bill which would only have an impact two years in seven and called National the ``party of grinches’’.

Today the only National MP speaker Colin King said his party was voting against the bill because it would put costs on employers especially in the primary industries and create complexity.

Others arguments against have included that it would demean those holidays. The Maori Party and others did not agree with this.

Labour MP Grant Robertson, who was the original sponsor of the bill, said King’s speech was remarkable and the world did not end when other holidays fell on a weekend resulting in a day off on the Monday.

The bill was sent to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee by 61 to 60 with National and ACT opposed.

MPs began the first reading of the Joint Family Homes Repeal Bill, which repeals the Joint Family Homes Act 1964 which has been overtaken by later legislation.

**
ParliamentToday.co.nz is a breaking news source for New Zealand parliamentary business featuring broadcast daily news reports.

© Scoop Media