Unions and bosses support a public holiday overhaul

The business sector and unions say they are open to talks about consolidating Tasmania’s complex public holiday calendar.

Olivia Rayner 8 of Glenorchy, left, and Claudia Wright 8 of Moonah enjoying the Madagascar Roller Coaster ride on Hobart Regatta day. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

THE business sector and unions say they are open to talks about consolidating Tasmania’s complex public holiday calendar.

Today’s Eight Hours Day is the third statewide public holiday of 2019, but the seventh public holiday overall when factoring in regional holidays for the Devonport Cup, Royal Hobart Regatta, Launceston Cup and King Island Show.

Tasmania has nine core public holidays in line with the rest of the nation, in addition to 12 regional public holidays coinciding with local events.

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The state’s public service also gets a holiday on Easter Tuesday.

However Treasurer Peter Gutwein recently signalled Easter Tuesday could be on the chopping block, flagging consolidating public sector public holidays as part of a new wages offer.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey said a discussion was needed about rationalising public holidays, without reducing the number of days off enjoyed statewide.

“We get particularly frustrated by things like half-day holidays, show days and cup days and days like Regatta Day and Recreation Day that fall on different days,” he said.

“We don’t think there should be fewer public holidays, but they should line up,” Mr Bailey said.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Michael Bailey. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

He said any change to the public holiday calendar should include consideration of placing public holidays in the middle part of the year when there were no long weekends.

“There are certainly a huge number of public holidays in the summer months. It would make a lot of sense to spread them out as well,” he said.

“We just want the community to discuss this, we know holidays are really important to people, we don’t want to reduce the number of holidays people have.”

Unions Tasmania secretary Jessica Munday said there was merit in discussing consolidating public holidays.

“We would be open to consultation on that particular issue,” Ms Munday said.

“Our position is that any changes have to ensure that people don’t have less public holidays.

“There’s the social benefits we have to think of, that’s where our focus is.”

Last month the State Government revised its wages proposal to public servants to offer pay rises of 2 per cent, 2.25 per cent and 2.5 per cent over three years — as long as unions agreed to a host of other efficiencies.

This included the removal of public holidays so Tasmania aligned with other jurisdictions.

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