The attempts continue by our politicians to liberalise our trading laws during four specific public / holy days – three of those four centred around Christianity – Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day. The fourth day being targeted is Anzac Day.
The latest push is via Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill. This is a Members Bill and it is currently awaiting its Third and Final reading in Parliament.
This is likely to be next week on Wednesday 1 April – so only a short time away to contact your local MP/s.
On-licence premises are generally restricted from selling alcohol on these special days, except to:
* People dining: Those present on the premises to eat, including one hour before and after a substantial meal. (So alcohol can already be served as part of an overall meal, just not as a ‘drinkathon’)
* People residing or lodging: Those staying at the premises, such as hotel guests.
* People attending an event: Those present to attend an event for which a special license has been obtained. For example, on Anzac Day, RSAs with a club licence are allowed to serve alcohol between 4am and 1pm to RSA members and guests.
Kieran McAnulty’s Bill seeks to remove these alcohol restrictions on all four special days – Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day – (because apparently we just can’t get enough alcohol drinking time on the other 361 days!)
McAnulty introduced his latest Bill back in early 2025. It had its First Reading in April 2025 and passed 67 votes to 54. At Second Reading in February this year, the total number of votes (67 to 54) remained, but some MPs changed their minds. There were also a number of new MPs voting for the first time.
BUT IT GETS WORSE…
ACT MP Cameron Luxton has successfully proposed an amendment that allows bars to stay open after midnight on Anzac Day and Easter holidays, removing restrictions which currently force venues to close as the public holiday begins.
The justification for the expansion of the liberalisation of the law is to allow Christchurch bars and nightclubs to stay open after midnight during the opening weekend of the city’s new stadium.
Note how a one-off event (which could easily be granted a special licence as we did in 2015 when bars and pubs were able to open for early morning Rugby World Cup matches in the UK) is being used as a wedge to get wholesale liberalisation of our alcohol laws – and across the whole country.
THEY ARE OBSESSED WITH THIS ISSUE
In 2021, Labour MP Kieran McAnulty put forward a previous Bill to abolish Easter liquor laws – once again the focus being on the alcohol aspect. Ironically the Labour Party voted as a caucus against it.
In 2022, ACT MP Chris Baillie had a Bill drawn from the ballot to abolish Easter trading restrictions – which Parliament also voted down.
In 2024, ACT MP Cameron Luxton also introduced a previous members bill to allow shops to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Thankfully, it too was voted down.
This latest Bill and the ACT Party amendment show a clear incremental creep.
First, it was touristy areas during Easter. Now it’s on-licence for alcohol, starting initially with the likes of restaurants but now extended to bars. Next it will be off-licence (supermarkets and liquor outlets), and then a free-for-all.
NO SENSE OF THE SACRED
It is also a clear sign that there is no sense of the sacred, and a culture that does not value the sacred is a culture in decline.
We oppose any liberalisation of Easter, Christmas and Anzac Day trading laws – including the liberalisation of alcohol laws.
The only people who will celebrate this law change will be the alcohol lobby and those who will make the most money from it.
This is also just not about a religious holiday time relevant to only a proportion of the population. Anzac Day is not specifically a Christian celebration but it is an important day to honour the bravery and sacrifice of New Zealanders who died or served in military conflicts. Many families do not observe the religious association with Christmas Day or Easter, but it is still a valued and vital family time in our culture.
We should maintain Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas as restricted trading days, and continue to honour Anzac Day.
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HOW THEY VOTED – 2nd READING
67 YES TO LIBERALISING THE LAW 
* All of ACT MPs (11)
* LABOUR: Andersen, Bennett, Boyack, Brooking, Dansey, Davidson (R), Halbert, Henare (since retired), Hipkins, Jackson, Luxton, McAnulty, O’Connor (D), O’Connor (G), Radhakrishnan, Russell, Tangaere-Manuel, Tinetti, Utikere, Verrall, Webb (21)
* NATIONAL: Bayly, Bidois, Bishop, Brewer, Brownlee, Butterick, Campbell, Collins, Costley, Doocey, Fleming, Hamilton, Kirkpatrick, Kuriger, Luxon, MacLeod, McCallum, McClay, Meager, Mitchell, Mooney, Redmayne, Reti, Rutherford, Simpson, Smith, Stanford, Upston, Watts, Wedd, Weenink, Willis, Lu (33)
* INDEPENDENT: Ferris, Kapa-Kingi (2)
54 NO TO LIBERALISING THE LAW 😊
* All of NZ FIRST MPs (8)
* All of GREEN MPs (15)
* TE PATI MAORI: Kaipara, Maipi-Clarke, Ngarewa-Packer, Waititi (4)
* LABOUR: Belich, Edmonds, Leary, McLellan, Prime, Salesa, Sosene, Twyford, Walters, Woods, White, Williams (12)
* NATIONAL: Anderson, Bates, Brown, Cheung, Garcia, Goldsmith, Grigg, Lee, Nakhle, Nimon, Penk, Potaka, Simmonds, Uffindel, van de Molen (15)
Missing-in-action! Sepuloni (Labour) Pugh (National)
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP – especially if they voted YES! Go to haveyoursay.org.nz
MORE INFO – GOVERNMENT WEBSITE
Here’s our commentary from the previous attempt to liberalise Easter trading laws. The same arguments still apply. The deconstruction of Easter, Christmas & Anzac Day has cultural and family consequences.
