Legislation allowing councils across the country to decide whether all shops can open on Easter Sunday has been narrowly defeated in Parliament.
The member's bill was in the name of Todd McClay, the National Party MP for Rotorua.
He told the House it's a nonsense that Taupo can open but nearby Rotorua cannot, and the same applies to Queenstown and Wanaka in the south.
Mr McClay's bill would have given local councils discretion to set shop trading hours within their jurisdiction.
The conscience vote was lost 62-59.
