National leader Christopher Luxon vows to review Easter trading laws if elected

The Easter Show has returned to Auckland after a three-year hiatus and National's leader was there hoping he's come up with his own show-stopper.

Christopher Luxon is vowing to review our controversial Easter trading laws if elected in six months' time.

Christopher Luxon made an entrance and made acquaintances at Auckland's Easter Show on Saturday.

And with the election spinning ever closer he made an Easter promise to review the holiday's trading laws.

"It's something we're definitely up for reviewing," he said.

Trading is restricted on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And the rules depend on where you are in New Zealand because some councils have passed their own bylaws.

But even if a business can open at Easter, overarching laws still apply for example, alcohol can only be sold if the customer is having a meal.

Last year the Labour Inspectorate received 17 complaints, of which two businesses were prosecuted.

The Government's argument is that Good Friday and Easter Sunday are two of only three-and-a-half-days of the year when trading is restricted and workers get some time off to spend with family and friends. Workplace Relations Minister says safeguarding that is important.

But the rules don't sit well with hospitality venues like North Park on Auckland's Wynyard Quarter.

"Sales go down, because you can't be serving alcohol without the meal, and sometimes it even angers the customers," said North Park owner Meena Kakkar.

Some support the rules.

"I think they're great laws and I think we should keep them as they are and it makes for a great weekend," one person said.

But tourists we spoke to found it confusing.

"I think it's nice to have a day off as a worker but as a tourist we weren't prepared for it," one told Newshub.

ACT proposed a law change last year that would've given businesses the choice to trade at Easter.

"This is a quick win. It would make the laws simpler at Easter. It's just one less hassle that small business owners and their customers have to think about," ACT leader David Seymour said.

The Workplace Relations Minister said ACT didn't get the balance right and instead put business profits ahead of workers' rights, which is why it wasn't supported.

But if Luxon is in charge come October those Easter trading rules could soon be spun around.