Have your say: Melbourne Cup holiday for NQ

A debate has ignited on whether Townsville should go ahead with its Annual Show holiday to go ahead, despite the show being cancelled with one North Queensland coming up with another tempting option.

A debate has ignited on whether Townsville should go ahead with its Annual Show holiday to go ahead, despite the show being cancelled.

It appears most people in Townsville would like it to go ahead on its gazetted day, but another North Queensland council has come up with another tempting option.

Hinchinbrook Shire Council l has come up with a distinctly Australian way to boost its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic passes – give everyone a day off work to enjoy raucous Melbourne Cup festivities.

It voted to apply to change its 2020 Ingham Show Holiday, scheduled for June 26, to the first Tuesday of November, the day of the Melbourne Cup.

In a poll, 73 per cent of respondents believed the Townsville Annual Show holiday should go ahead on the gazetted day of July 6 with 23 per cent disagreeing.

There are concerns the holiday could be another blow businesses battling COVID-19 restrictions don’t need.

Businesses that choose to open on the Townsville Annual Show holiday will have to pay staff penalty rates.

To the south there were also talks of moving the Burdekin show holiday, but Burdekin Shire Council shot it down.

Originally published as Have your say: Melbourne Cup holiday for NQ