Corporate Australia downplays Australia Day for greater flexibility around public holidays

Some of Australia’s largest businesses will avoid celebrating Australia Day and allow staff to work the national day for another day off as flexibility around public holidays takes hold.

Corporations including Telstra, Commonwealth Bank and AustralianSuper allow staff to work Australia Day for another day off, at odds with Peter Dutton.

Big business will shun Australia Day and allow staff to work on January 26, placing some of the country’s largest employees at odds with opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has vowed to protect the national day should the ­Coalition be elected.

Corporations including Telstra, Commonwealth Bank and AustralianSuper allow staff to work Australia Day and other public holidays for another day off – perhaps one culturally important to them – championing the move as a win for employees after flexibility around their time off, despite few taking up the offer.

Other businesses including Woodside and EY, which also offer flexibility around Australia Day, will avoid holding any major celebrations and have instead put an onus on employees.

International tourists will also be shielded from Australia’s nat­ional day, with one of the country’s largest travel groups, Intrepid Travel, opting to focus on the Indigenous side of January 26 on tours held on that day.

Intrepid Travel Australia and New Zealand managing director Brett Mitchell told The Australian that about 50 per cent of staff opt to work Australia Day, which was the catalyst for its flexible public holiday policy, adding it was the right decision to not celebrate.

“As part of our reconciliation journey, we’ve listened a lot to what our First Nation partners think about this particular date and also our staff,” he said.

“The more businesses can provide that flexibility and show empathy, it adds up. Allowing staff to not partake in days like Australia Day is one way that ­allows us to foster an inclusive environment, and for us to show solidarity with the community and our partners.”

Mr Mitchell said Intrepid guides have been educated to talk about the Indigenous culture and will be encouraged to talk to tourists and celebrate Indigenous ­people.

“Depending on what country we’re in, we will use January 26 as a great opportunity to talk about First Nations culture and celebrate and even look to bring in an elder or someone connected to that land,” he said.

Commonwealth Bank and the other major banks allow staff to swap Australia Day and other public holidays for a different day. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

It comes as a poll published this week by the Institute of Public Affairs showed that 69 per cent of Australians say Australia Day should be celebrated on January 26, up from 63 per cent 12 months ago, while a majority of all age groups now back the day.

The Finance Sector Union has been key to the big four banks and super funds allowing employees to work on Australia Day in exchange for another day off.

National assistant secretary Jason Hall said workers valued flexibility and choice to take a day off when it suited them. “For others, it’s about living their values and not celebrating a holiday on a day that doesn’t resonate, or causes concern, for them,” he said.

“The FSU First Nations Workers Committee acknowledges that many Australians wish to celebrate the success and achievements of the nation that they contribute to every day, but also that Australia Day is a day of mourning, sorrow and invasion for many.”

This year, Australia Day falls on a Sunday, which will see the holiday observed on January 27 in what will mean a long weekend. Few workers take up the opportunity to work Australia Day, with the operator of the Australian Securities Exchange, ASX, yet to receive any request from staff wanting to work on January 27, despite provisions in its EBA.

About 10 per cent of employees at Woodside elect each year to substitute at least one public holiday for an alternate date.

Law firm King & Wood Mallesons, which has more than 1600 employees in Australia, had 78 staff members use its flexible public holiday policy to take 127 days that worked for them in 2024.

Since January 2022, 1648 people out of PwC Australia’s near 9000-strong work force have taken the opportunity to float one or more public holidays.

The Opposition Leader this week said Australians should not be “ashamed of” Australia Day, doubling down on a Coalition election vow to overturn a Labor-era rule and force local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26 – a move he would make within the first 100 days if elected to power.

Since January 2022 there has been 1648 instances in which people at PwC Australia have switched a public holiday for another day off. There are more than 8000 people employed by the local firm. Picture: Britta Campion.

Woolworths, which resumed selling Australian-themed products to coincide with the national day, mandates all office-based staff have the day off, while retail members continue to have the choice to work the public holiday if rostered on under a longstanding policy.

AustralianSuper allows staff to work on the “January 26 public holiday” for another day, while those of a different background can switch another two state-based public holidays.

Non-rostered employees in all Woodside locations are entitled to take leave in exchange for working on a public holiday, up to a maximum of five days a year under its public holiday policy.

The big four banks, ANZ, CBA, NAB and Westpac, all allow staff to swap Australia Day or another public holiday for a substitute day if approved by their manager.

The major accounting firms of Deloitte, EY and KPMG all offer flexible public holidays, which allows staff to swap two existing public holidays with a different day culturally significant to them.

“Our people appreciate the ability to structure their public holiday leave entitlements according to their preferences. For instance, some have chosen to use this policy for Australia Day,” EY Oceania talent leader Lauren Stanton said.

Since 2015, PwC Australia staff have had the choice to work public holidays and take a different day in lieu that suits their cultural, individual and/or religious preference.

PwC Australia chief people officer Karen Lonergan said a floating public holiday policy allowed staff the choice to work nationally recognised public holidays and take a different day in lieu, to suit cultural or religious preferences.

“We’ve found this approach supports productivity and is an example of how we think about flexibility at PwC. It’s just one way the firm demonstrates its commitment to creating a culture of greater inclusion,” she said.

Federal public service workers including those at the Australian Securities & Investments Commission are entitled to public holidays including Australia Day, but can swap any holiday for another day pending manager approval.

Originally published as Corporate Australia downplays Australia Day for greater flexibility around public holidays