Retailers angry over five-day long weekend for Queensland next year


QUEENSLAND will get a once-in-a-generation five-day long weekend early next year.

But retailers – who also will be forced to pay extra penalty rates this Christmas and New Year – are warning their public holiday pain will be passed on to consumers through higher prices.

In a rare clash of dates, Anzac Day and Easter Monday will fall on the same day next year. Anzac Day will continue to be commemorated on Monday, April 25, while Easter Monday will be celebrated with a public holiday the following day, creating a five-day break including Good Friday. The State Government ruled out calls to shift one public holiday to the second half of the year, a move retailers say could help spread the financial burden of penalty rates.

The news comes just weeks after the Bligh Government angered retailers by passing laws to force them to pay two extra days of penalty rates to workers this festive season.



With Christmas and New Year's days falling on a Saturday, the public holidays will be held the next week, effectively making retailers who open their doors pay higher wages for four days over Christmas and three days over New Year.

In other years in which the festive days fell on Saturday, employers have not had to pay penalty rates.

The mounting public holiday pain for the retail sector comes at a time when businesses are already dealing with increased electricity and water bills.

Small business owners yesterday said it would mean increased prices for consumers and fewer shops opening.

At Brisbane's South Bank, dell'Ugo restaurant's Michael Passaris said the eatery had lost thousands of dollars when it opened on one public holiday.

"I've run all the statistics, it's not worth opening for me," Mr Passaris said.

But Beastie Burger manager Madeleine Rosser said she always opened her South Bank restaurant. "It's insane down here . . . I mean where else would you go on a public holiday?" she said.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland president David Goodwin said small businesses trading with lease obligations to open could struggle.

"In instances like that there is a level of hardship," said Mr Goodwin, who urged Queenslanders to holiday locally over the super-breaks. "If people make a concerted effort to try to travel within Queensland and stay local, that business might just help. It could close the gap. We want to see that money stay in the state."

He said he "reluctantly" accepted the State Government's decision because the move had been adopted in other states.

United Retailers Federation president Scott Driscoll said this was "the triple whammy" for retailers already hit hard by electricity and water costs.

Attorney-General Cameron Dick said the decisions were made after consultation with unions, employer organisations, the RSL and religious groups.


Comments on this story

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     Paul of maryborough Posted at 11:55 PM October 28, 2010

         Well, considering i will be working over the Christmas weekend, i think the public holidays afterwards are much needed. bring it on

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     Diddums of Queensland the stoneage state Posted at 11:50 PM October 28, 2010

         Well just don't open. These are not retail controlled events they are religeous celebrations and days of remembrance. I think the retailers should be ashamed of the way they have progressivley over the years denegrated the true meaning of these days.

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     kevin marshall of woodridge Posted at 11:50 PM October 28, 2010

         so what big retailers will still put the prices up one way or a nother

I think his posts are way cool and stimulating.
A lot more 'closer to reality' than what It_is_the_Light pumps out.

..though I do wonder if he/she does have a job?

none the less, keep em coming ya crook!

What a blow for QLD!

If Imcrook wasnt just a mouth peice he would know that NSW also cops the burden of paying the two extra public holidays over the festive season.

Dont expect to see many places open those days now.