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 and the Holidays (Entitlements) Amendment Act 2021 (the principal Acts).

Part 1

Holidays (Entitlements) Amendment Act 2021

5. Principal Act

This Part amends the Holidays (Entitlements) Amendment Act

6. Part Repealed

Part 1 of this Act is repealed

Part 2

Holidays Act 2003

7. 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 Points to the Act that is being amended in Part 1
• Section 6 repeals the legislation that repealed this Public Holiday.
• Section 7 adds Matariki as a public holiday, and states when it will be observed.

B.1077 Holidays (Te Rā o Matariki / Matariki Day) Amendment Bill 2021 is authored by /u/SprinklyDinks (Independent) and u/model-frod (Labour) and is sponsored by u/KiwiAnimations (ACT) on behalf of the government.

Debate will end at 11:59pm 6/07/2021 NZT