The Queen Elizabeth II memorial day bill passes into law
Ōtautahi - The bill establishing Queen Elizabeth II memorial day has passed its third reading and is now law.
As Queen of Aotearoa New Zealand, Her Majesty was loved for her grace, calmness, dedication and public service. Her affection for New Zealand and its people was clear, and it was a fondness that was shared, Minister for Workplace Relations & Safety Michael Wood says.
The passing of the Queen Elizabeth II memorial day bill designates September 26 as a one-off public holiday.
This holiday will allow New Zealanders to mark her life and passing and reflect on her legacy. Government expects many people will want the opportunity to pay their respects and this public holiday offers communities across the country the ability to come together and pay tribute at their own local events also.
The memorial day will coincide with a state memorial service, to be held in Wellington Cathedral. This will be televised and live-streamed. The decision to hold a one-off public holiday in the Queen’s honour is in line with similar holidays in the UK and Australia.
There will be no additional shop trading restrictions on Queen Elizabeth II memorial day public holiday and the normal rules apply for employees who work on a public holiday.
The most recent one-off public holiday was the Canterbury earthquake commemoration day on March 18, 2011. The public holiday was observed in parts of Canterbury that observe Canterbury anniversary day to commemorate the devastating consequences of the Canterbury earthquake and aftershock.
Normal public holiday requirements under the Holidays Act will apply including:
If September 26 is an otherwise working day for an employee, they will be entitled to a paid day off work
If September 26 is an otherwise working day and the employee works, they are entitled to be paid time and a half and receive an alternative holiday
All employees who work on September 26must be paid time and a half
An employer can only require an employee to work on September 26 if that Monday is a day they would usually work and it is written in their employment agreement that the employee can be required to work on public holidays
Otherwise, employers can ask employees to work on September 26 but they do not have to agree.
Lisa was born in Auckland at the start of the 1970s, living in a small campsite community on the North Shore called Browns Bay. She spent a significant part of her life with her grandparents, often hanging out at the beaches. Lisa has many happy memories from those days at Browns Bay beach, where fish were plentiful on the point and the ocean was rich in seaweed. She played in the water for hours, going home totally “sun-kissed.” “An adorable time to grow up,” Lisa tells me.
Lisa enjoyed many sports; she was a keen tennis player and netballer, playing in the top teams for her age right up until the family moved to Wellington. Lisa was fifteen years old, which unfortunately marked the end of her sporting career. Local teams were well established in Wellington, and her attention was drawn elsewhere.