Premier considering five-day long weekend


Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on a weekend this year, pushing the public holidays on to weekdays.

Queenslanders could be treated to an extraordinary five-day long weekend next year.

The government is considering extending the usual four-day Easter break because Easter Monday and Anzac Day coincide on the same day.

The issue was raised in parliament this morning, as the government put forward its amendment to add two public holidays to the upcoming festive calendar.


With Christmas and New Year's days falling on Saturdays this summer, the corresponding public holidays were automatically postponed to weekdays.

The government intends to amend legislation to ensure those left working on the celebratory days will be compensated.

A similar amendment could be made for Easter 2011.

Premier Anna Bligh said in parliament this morning the government was consulting with churches and the RSL about shifting the Easter Monday public holiday to the Tuesday, as Anzac Day must be observed on the actual day.

"We may have an unusual circumstance next year with a five-day Easter break," Ms Bligh told parliament.

Unions complained when in 2009 weekday workers did not receive a day off in lieu of Anzac Day falling on a Saturday.

At the time, the RSL said an extra day off wasn't necessary because Anzac Day was to commemorate fallen soldiers and was always honoured on the 25th.

Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick said this year's Christmas-New Year public holiday amendment would rectify an obvious problem.

“On previous occasions, when Christmas Day and New Year’s Day have fallen on a Saturday, the public holidays have been transferred to the following week, giving most workers consecutive long weekends," Mr Dick said.

“But for those occupations that have to work over the Christmas-New Year period, it means that they are not entitled to penalty rates for the inconvenience of being separated from their families, particularly on Christmas Day.

“Making this situation even more inequitable is the fact that the occupations most affected are those that either protect the community or make the holiday period more convenient and enjoyable for the rest of us.

“This includes many health workers, fire fighters and ambulance officers, who sacrifice so much of their family lives for their communities."

The additional public holidays are also expected to benefit hotel and hospitality workers, bus and train drivers, fast-food outlet staff and some medical staff.

Mr Dick defended criticism employers would be hit hard.

“The only person likely to object to workers being paid their proper entitlements on Christmas Day would be Ebenezer Scrooge himself,” Mr Dick said.

“We acknowledge that there will be some cost to those businesses that open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but we believe that this inconvenience is far outweighed by the benefits it will bring for workers."

Thank you Premier Bligh, lets hope the other states do the same.  What a wonderful idea for the workers.

The secret service.

Yes, shut up shop for five days, chill out, relax. The country won't go broke.

Its funny watching IMFULLOFIT exalt over a 5day weekend when as an unemployed dole bludger he already has SEVEN day weekends.

Does that mean people that work on those days will get their penalty rates?.  I think public holidays are supposed to be paid at a rate of triple pay, are they not?.

No not so.  People still get penalty rates for overtime, and quite rightly so.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Sep 15^th, 2010 at 10:39am:



Try getting called out at 1am because a vegetable or meat cool room has gone down, and it is summer. We get 3 hours double time for a callout.