Holidays (Te Rā o Matariki / Matariki Day) Amendment Bill 2021

The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows:

1. Title
This Act is the Holidays (Te Rā o Matariki / Matariki Day) Amendment Act 2021.

2. Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.

3. Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to amend the Holidays Act 2003 to introduce Matariki as a public holiday.

4. Principal Acts Amended
This Act amends the Holidays Act 2003 (the principal Act).

Part 1

Holidays Act 2003

5. Section 44
After paragraph 44(1)(k) insert the following:

(l) Matariki (observed on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar calendar period of the correct lunar calendar month.).

Explanatory Note

General Policy Statement

This bill is designed to add an additional public holiday, namely Matariki on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar calendar period of the correct lunar calendar month. As per advice of the MBIE Matariki Advisory Committee.

Section by Section analysis

• Section 1 is the title section
• Section 2 is the commencement section. It provides for the bill to come into force immediately after it receives Royal Assent.
• Section 3 is the purpose section.
• Section 4 outlines the Act this bill amends.
• Section 5 adds to the list an additional holiday along with the date it will be observed on.

B.1077 is authored by /u/SprinklyDinks (Independent) and u/model-frod (Labour) and is sponsored by u/KiwiAnimations (ACT) on behalf of the government.