Easter Sunday saved for families, opposition bill defeated

Today Parliament recognised that a work-life balance for Kiwi families is important, but the Progressive’s two votes were vital.

“Parliament rejected the opposition’s Shop Trading Hours bill by just 58 – 60 votes, with two MPs not registering a vote. Without the Progressives, the Bill could well have progressed into law to the detriment of families,” said Matt Robson, Progressive deputy leader.

“Shops will continue to close on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning, providing a small amount of time for families to be together.

“I want to thank the National Distribution Union, who campaigned against the bill and in one month gathered over five thousand petition signatures, and the CTU for their efforts. It shows that the traditions of the labour movement working collectively for the benefit of all are still strong in New Zealand.

“All Progressive MPs and all Green MPs voted ‘No,’ as did six United Future MPs. 10 National MPs joined us, but only 33 Labour MPs voted ‘No.’ Over a third of the Labour caucus, 18 MPs, voted in favour of the bill,” said Mat Robson.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>