How Canberra's first Easter Sunday public holiday will affect businesses

Date
    March 25, 2016
    Sydney Morning Herald

Canberra's retail and hospitality workers could clean up 10 days worth of pay for four days work over the Easter long weekend but industry groups are warning it's an unfair burden on small businesses.

This is the first year Easter Sunday will be a gazetted public holiday in the ACT.   :)

Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced last year Easter Sunday would become the 14th public holiday in the ACT in 2016.


But the Australia Retailers Association's executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said many retailers would not open this Easter long weekend due to the "prohibitive" labour costs associated with public holiday penalty rates.   ::)


He warned mum-and-dad operators were most likely to feel the pinch as some can't afford not to open.

"Retailers opening their stores across the Easter weekend will be forced to bear the brunt of very high costs up to two-and-a-half times penalty rates. In the ACT that could mean for some retailers four days of penalty rates," Mr Zimmerman said.

"We respect the fact people want some kind of penalty rate and we don't think that penalty rates should be completely removed. If you've got penalty rates sitting at double-and-a-half time, it makes it unviable for retailers to open."

The ACT currently leads Australian  in the number of public holidays it has, although Victoria is not far behind.

Canberra Business Chamber chief executive Robyn Hendry said while the gazetting of Easter Sunday as a public holiday had  "less impact" because it was  already "bookended" by Good Friday and Easter Monday, some in the business community felt  the ACT had far too many public holidays.

"Some in hospitality have indicated a preference not to have a public holiday this weekend. Easter is an opportune time for tourism and some in the hospitality and business sector have not embraced the increased cost to their bottom line.

"The broader business community has felt that public holiday is okay if we could reduce another," Ms Hendry said.

"The issue is really around the total number of public holidays as that puts us as having the most in Australia. For our size in jurisdiction we don't believe that's an area we really need to lead in."

Australian Hotels Association ACT general manager Jo Broad said that while they support a "reasonable" number of public holidays, they do come at a cost to employers.

"Making Easter Sunday an additional public holiday makes it more difficult for businesses to open their doors and provide employment," Ms Broad said.

"I definitely think it'll have an effect on businesses who were in two minds about opening up. It's not great for business and for tourism."

Bunda Street cafe Akiba is one of the handful of Canberra cafes remaining open for all four days of the long weekend.

Its general manager, Andy Day, said it was important they stayed open due to the cafe's central location.

"We're right in the city and if this place wasn't open or the places around it wasn't open, it wouldn't be so much a city, it'd be a big country town," Mr Day said.

Similarly Richard Watkins, who owns Braddon brewery Bentspoke, said it "never entered into his mind" to close for Easter Sunday.

"We'll be open every day except Christmas day. At the end of the day we're here for the customer. Customers want to come to the pub when they want.

"We aren't as profitable on a public holiday but our staff work pretty hard and we're happy to pay them extra for sticking around."

But Misty Taylor, who owns Paleo Perfection on Kingston Foreshore, said her decision to close on Sunday and Monday came down to family.

"I run this by myself and I have a six-year-old – Easter is all about her," she said.

Good on You Premier Andrews for also making Easter Sunday A public holiday.  The good people of Victoria like their public holidays.  Thanks Premier Andrews.     [smiley=thumbsup.gif] 

Yet another unnecessary and expensive cost to taxpayers courtesy of the ALP.

Always has been in most states.

Dnarever wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 1:03pm:

Always has been in most states.

No.

Dnarever wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 1:03pm:

Always has been in most states.

Previously, only in NSW and Victoria.

Now that it's in the ACT, there are three states/territories with Easter Sunday as a Public Holiday.

WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday.

The ACT currently leads Australian  in the number of public holidays it has, although Victoria is not far behind.


we go without NOTHING in this part of the world... ::) ::)

in fact we lead most of the way when it comes to freebees..

greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 1:24pm:

WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday.

remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs

cods wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 1:38pm:

in fact we lead most of the way when it comes to freebees..

after all, that's why you moved there

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 2:49pm:

cods wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:38pm: in fact we lead most of the way when it comes to freebees.. after all, that's why you moved there

The porn capital of Australia.

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 2:49pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:24pm: WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday. remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs

Do you have a Public Holiday for 'Western Australia Day'?

:)

Armchair_Politician wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 1:02pm:

Yet another unnecessary and expensive cost to taxpayers courtesy of the ALP.

Public transport didn't run as its a public holiday... on any other sunday they would have run getting people around the city etc...

so on one of our biggest weekend holidays for our city, people couldn't get around properly... it doesn't make sense.. Stupid Union/Labor thugs..  >:(

greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 2:51pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 2:49pm: greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:24pm: WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday. remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs Do you have a Public Holiday for 'Western Australia Day'? :)

no, I have one for 'the gold coast show' day  :D :D

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 3:13pm:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:02pm: Yet another unnecessary and expensive cost to taxpayers courtesy of the ALP. Public transport didn't run as its a public holiday... on any other sunday they would have run getting people around the city etc... so on one of our biggest weekend holidays for our city, people couldn't get around properly... it doesn't make sense.. Stupid Union/Labor thugs..  >:(

Yep, and it costs the state millions of dollars extra in wages for government employees who have to work today - Police, Fire, Ambulance, doctors, nurses, public transport (NSW at least that I know of), etc. What an unnecessarily expensive waste.

Money that will cycle back into the economy.  Interesting how lib supporters are not happy about customers with more potential to spend money.

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 2:49pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:24pm: WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday. remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs

PH's

13 ACT, SA

12 NSW, NT, Vic

11 Qld, Tas, WA.

Dnarever wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 5:34pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 2:49pm: greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:24pm: WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday. remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs PH's 13 ACT, SA 12 NSW, NT, Vic 11 Qld, Tas, WA.

Ripped off over here in Wait Awhile  >:(

Dnarever wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 5:34pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 2:49pm: greggerypeccary wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:24pm: WA, NT, QLD, SA, TAS = no Public Holiday. remind me not to move to those states then ... what a bunch of mugs PH's 13 ACT, SA 12 NSW, NT, Vic 11 Qld, Tas, WA.

damn ... I might move back to NSW 

except that doesn't include the GC SHow day, which isn't officially a public holiday for the state, just the GC. No need to move now

Armchair_Politician wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 4:04pm:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 3:13pm: Armchair_Politician wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:02pm: Yet another unnecessary and expensive cost to taxpayers courtesy of the ALP. Public transport didn't run as its a public holiday... on any other sunday they would have run getting people around the city etc... so on one of our biggest weekend holidays for our city, people couldn't get around properly... it doesn't make sense.. Stupid Union/Labor thugs..  >:( Yep, and it costs the state millions of dollars extra in wages for government employees who have to work today - Police, Fire, Ambulance, doctors, nurses, public transport (NSW at least that I know of), etc. What an unnecessarily expensive waste.

Armpit "thinks" that the Police, Fire, Ambulance, doctors, nurses, and public transport are an unnecessarily expensive waste.

What a cretin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWhMByBN0RI

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Mar 28^th, 2016 at 3:13pm:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Mar 28th, 2016 at 1:02pm: Yet another unnecessary and expensive cost to taxpayers courtesy of the ALP. Public transport didn't run as its a public holiday... on any other sunday they would have run getting people around the city etc... so on one of our biggest weekend holidays for our city, people couldn't get around properly... it doesn't make sense.. Stupid Union/Labor thugs..  >:(

Then how come I saw revenue earning buses on the road on Easter Sunday?