Ekka holiday cancelled at Moreton, Scenic Rim, Ipswich but Redland, Logan get the day off

The Ekka public holiday may have been cancelled in Brisbane it will still go ahead as planned in two other major South East regional council areas.

The Ekka Public holiday will go ahead as planned next week for residents in two major South East regional council areas despite the holiday being cancelled in three other areas and Brisbane.

Brisbane residents will get a day off later in the year after the state decided to postpone the People’s Day Ekka holiday, which was scheduled for Wednesday, August 11.

Moreton, Ipswich and Scenic Rim councils have also decided to postpone the public holiday on Monday in line with Brisbane.

Logan council said it decided to keep the long-scheduled public holiday on Monday as the late notice to postpone “would have created uncertainty for our community.

“It also risked disrupting plans put in place by City of Logan residents, business owners, local schools and public transport schedules.”

Redland City Council used Twitter to alert its residents that the Monday holiday would go ahead as scheduled.

The crowd at the Ekka on People’s Day pre-Covid. Picture: Annette Dew

But it will be business as usual for Moreton Bay Regional Council, Scenic Rim and Ipswich.

Moreton voted to defer the August 9 holiday and move it to a date later in the year.

The council took to social media to announce the change.

“We know a long weekend would have been amazing, but with the outbreak on our doorstep we can’t take any chances and we want to eliminate some of the uncertainty businesses are currently grappling with.”

“Thank you Moreton Bay for your patience.”

The Ekka may be cancelle but the public holiday isn’t for some parts of South East Queensland.

Pumicestone MP Ali King confirmed the council had requested to move the holiday.

“Council will work with the Palaszczuk Government to decide an alternative date, and the government will pass the legislation to make the change official,” she wrote.

“Changing the holiday will let local business operators, residents and tourists from other parts of the state take advantage of the long weekend at a later date. “

Scenic Rim Council said it would notify residents when the new date was determined by the Local Government Minister.

Redland City Council also welcomed the State Government financial support for small and medium businesses impacted by the lockdown.

Mayor Karen Williams said the $5000 State Government grants were a good start and a welcome addition to initiatives the council had already implemented to support businesses impacted by COVID-19 during the past 19 months.