Easter Sunday again saved for families, opposition bill defeated

Parliament tonight confirmed that a work-life balance for Kiwi families is important, with Progressive’s two votes providing an absolute majority.

“Parliament rejected the another Easter Sunday Shop Trading bill from the opposition by just 56 – 61 votes,” 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.

Matt Robson earlier this year welcomed the support of the National Distribution Union in gathering petition signatures and gaining support to defeat the previous bill. Tonight’s bill was the third Easter Sunday bill voted down since the 2002 election.

“All Progressive MPs and all Green MPs voted ‘No,’ as did six United Future MPs. Eight National MPs joined us, but only 35 of 51 Labour MPs voted No,” said Matt Robson.

“What this is really indicating is that New Zealand needs Progressive in government again after the next election.

“Progressive is campaigning to keep the next government focused on job- and wealth-creation, getting more people into skills training, a work-life balance for families,” said Matt 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>>