Lockwood Smith National Industrial Relations Spokesperson

7 August 2001

Law changes more bureaucracy for retailers

Law changes which will see the Minister of Labour approve each and every exemption from the current ban on shop trading on certain days spell more mindless bureaucracy for retailers, National's Industrial Relations spokesperson Lockwood Smith said today.

"The Minister's proposals are intended, she says, to allow shops in Mt Maunganui and Rotorua to open for tourists on restricted holidays, just as shops in Queenstown and Taupo currently can.

"What she doesn't understand is that almost every community in New Zealand is now involved in our tourism industry. We can't afford to miss out because tourists are unable to shop in a particular part of the country at Easter because everything is closed.

"The Minister will undoubtedly receive thousands of applications for exemptions. The proposed law changes would see her having to consider each of these proposals against seven different criteria. It is bureaucratic madness.

"What we are seeing here is Labour being held to ransom over these proposals by junior partner, the Alliance. The only outcome will be more paperwork for retailers," Dr Smith said.

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