Its a kiwi Easter tradition that comes along with Hot Cross Buns and chocolate eggs - the tedious annual debate over Easter trading and the aftermath, the prosecutions of those who violated the law and opened their doors on Good Friday, Easter Sunday or both.
It looks like the Labour Department has in its bag about 33 violators this year, give or take. I'm sure that is just a token.
Some people do have to work on our sacred days. Doctors, policemen and those who keep the infrastructure of 21st century civilization ticking over - the unsung heroes who keep the electricity flowing into our homes and the sewerage flowing out amongst others.
But Labour Department Inspectors? What value do they add to our quality and way of life by pinging a garden center manager who dared to open his doors on Good Friday? Shall I tell you? None, nyet, nada that's what.
As you all know I'm sure I don't believe that these sacred days should be opened up for commerce. They are sacred and I would like to see that sanctity preserved.
And those caught in the Labour Departments net are just small fry. And I doubt the inspectors who do the pinging are not motivated by a deep sense of maintaining the religious character of these special days. The cynic in me thinks triple time or whatever the going overtime rate for public holidays in the public service is in 2009 is a far more a motivating factor.
And those who sign off on the overtime - what drives them do do it I wonder.
Perhaps, and this is pure speculation on my part mind you, but perhaps the motivation is to show the Easter Trading Laws are unworkable, unfair and unreasonable. By sacrificing a few garden center types (mostly self employed) every year they provide martyrs to keep the controversy ticking over for another year. And will continue to do so until the Laws surrounding Easter Trading are rescinded and a new and more complex set enacted providing for more commerce on our sacred days and more laws for the Labour Department to police.
Perhaps we should look at prosecuting the Labour Department for having its employees working on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Seems like Justice would be better served that way than nailing a few garden center managers' ears to the wall.
It looks like the Labour Department has in its bag about 33 violators this year, give or take. I'm sure that is just a token.
Some people do have to work on our sacred days. Doctors, policemen and those who keep the infrastructure of 21st century civilization ticking over - the unsung heroes who keep the electricity flowing into our homes and the sewerage flowing out amongst others.
But Labour Department Inspectors? What value do they add to our quality and way of life by pinging a garden center manager who dared to open his doors on Good Friday? Shall I tell you? None, nyet, nada that's what.
As you all know I'm sure I don't believe that these sacred days should be opened up for commerce. They are sacred and I would like to see that sanctity preserved.
And those caught in the Labour Departments net are just small fry. And I doubt the inspectors who do the pinging are not motivated by a deep sense of maintaining the religious character of these special days. The cynic in me thinks triple time or whatever the going overtime rate for public holidays in the public service is in 2009 is a far more a motivating factor.
And those who sign off on the overtime - what drives them do do it I wonder.
Perhaps, and this is pure speculation on my part mind you, but perhaps the motivation is to show the Easter Trading Laws are unworkable, unfair and unreasonable. By sacrificing a few garden center types (mostly self employed) every year they provide martyrs to keep the controversy ticking over for another year. And will continue to do so until the Laws surrounding Easter Trading are rescinded and a new and more complex set enacted providing for more commerce on our sacred days and more laws for the Labour Department to police.
Perhaps we should look at prosecuting the Labour Department for having its employees working on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Seems like Justice would be better served that way than nailing a few garden center managers' ears to the wall.