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All going well. This could be the final Easter weekend of not knowing what's open and not what's not, and when and when you can drink something and when you can't. And Karen Mcinaughty's Members Bill to make Amendments to the Shop Trading Ours Act has recently passed its first reading at Parliament. MPs in the past have tried and failed at making changes to the legislation, including acts Cameron Luxton justin in December, just gone and Cameron joins me now of Cameron, good.
Morning, Good morning Tim.
So you support Labour's version of the bill.
I support Kiaren Mchinolfi's version of the bill. It's a member's bill that Karen's put up. And as you say, it's got a bit of a change from my failed attempt in December, which my failed attempt was actually addressing the problems you just mentioned in You and You're Opening. They're talking about whether the confusion is being addressed or not of who is and isn't open and who can trade. That's not actually being addressed in this version that Karen's
been through the house. Karen's addressing the one of the elements in my bill, which was also addressing, which is the you know, the fantalization of kids when people when treating them like kids when they want to go and with their friends and family out to enjoy a meal and a drink without having all the confusing rules about how long you must be there before you can eat something and what you must eat before you can drink.
That's just silly rules. But yeah, unfortunately it doesn't touch on the confusing hodgepodge mishmash of rules around the country that tell businesses whether they can and can't open, whether employees are must work or can have the day off. That sort of stuff isn't being addressed. But look, it's a good change. And as you say, many people have tried and failed because maybe biting off more than we can chew. But I think just yeah, that was my question.
His ambitions aren't particularly lofty. Pretty much, it's just about being able to have a drink without having to order about five plates of chips or whatever. Is that the key to a success. It's you know, softly, softly, catchy monkey sort of thing.
Well, I had to go at trying to actually fix what many people see as the problem. And look, when I was pushing my bill last year, I went around the country. I met with lots of businesses, employees, I heard tons of stories from different rules around the country. I lobbied other MPs hard to say why wouldn't you change these rules? There was a lot of There was a lot of work done here and not just from me.
There are other MPs across the House who thought this change was a sensible change and came in and supported and talked to colleagues and businesses and groups around the country. So there was a lot of work done last year, and so you know, it's great to have so soon on the heels of that effort to have a bill like this across So the arguments have been getting bandied around the House for a while. So I think when you say by this is this is just just an
addressing line issue, a little nibble. It's not going to be the change that ends that. You know, people will think this is going to change the rules in their area. It's not. If your business can open, which right now isn't It is not a uniform across the country. Then it will remove those trading restrictions, but it won't actually open businesses around the country that are otherwise closed in the area when they want to trade.
Yeah, just quickly, what do you reckon? Is it going to is it going to win the day or conscience votes are going to do us in again.
Well, it's funny you say it is a conscience vote bill. Mine was also a conscience vote and it was block voted down by New Zealand. My bill was block voted down by New Zealand first Labor Green's antiparty Mali. But it's interesting, you say, well, the Conchin spoke get up this time Green the Labor Party did actually split their votes up on Karen's bill. So they so they voted with a large proportion in favor and a large proportion against.
So along with the members of the House who really were more consistent when you're voting on my bill on December, it got up. So look, I've got I'm going to be out there saying it's a great idea. No, don't mean I'm not trying to sound like it. It's a great thing. And I think and I'll be going around to the members that I that I everybody just live and saying this is a good bill, we should be supporting it.
Excellent. I appreciate your time this morning, Cameron. Well we'll just have to wait and see whyn't we.
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