New Zealanders are a friendly crowd, generally welcoming and accepting of others who make the effort to reach out. In many ways, Wellington is like a ‘big village’, and being part of a social network tends to happen quickly and naturally.
- We are informal - New Zealand does not have an overt class system like many older societies. We strive to treat each other as equals, regardless of background and, after first being introduced, we generally call people by their first name.
- Women in high places - New Zealand has many high profile women in politics and business. We aspire to gender equality, and sex role stereotyping and harassment are not considered acceptable.
- Protection from discrimination - The Human Rights Act protects New Zealanders from unlawful discrimination in a number of areas of life, including on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Any complaints can be taken to the Human Rights Commission.
- Personal privacy - There is a general respect for people’s personal privacy. It is not considered polite to enquire about another person’s salary, personal debt or age, even among friends.
- Keep left - When walking down the street, it is courteous to keep left so that people do not have to dodge each other.
- Small courtesies - When invited to someone’s home, it is customary to bring a small gift (such as flowers, a bottle of wine or some chocolates) or at least offer to do so.
- “Bring a plate” - For social occasions, you might be asked to bring a dish of food to share.
- Spitting and littering - New Zealanders love their country, and find spitting and littering offensive.
- Smacking - The use of physical force to discipline a child is prohibited in New Zealand.
- Child supervision - Children under the age of 14 must be supervised at all times. Parents cannot leave their young children to take care of themselves for an afternoon.
- Tipping - Tipping in cafés and restaurants, and for other personal services, is not customary in New Zealand.
Opening Hours
Opening hours for retailers and businesses vary. Generally, in the main centres, shops are open seven days a week, 9.00am to 5.30pm weekdays and 10.00am to 4.00pm on the weekends. There are also many 24-hour convenience stores, some stand alone and others attached to petrol stations.
Smoking
Smoking is outlawed from all indoor workplaces, including offices, bars, cafes, restaurants, schools and hospitals. Smokers are generally courteous of others and smoke outdoors, away from non-smokers. The legal age for buying cigarettes is 18 years.
Drink Driving
Drinking alcohol to excess and then driving is a serious offence, and the penalties are severe. Police perform compulsory breath tests on motorists at random locations all year round. The penalties for failing a compulsory breath test can be imprisonment, loss of licence, disqualification from driving and fines.
