Elsie Lange
An extra public holiday on September 22, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s death last week, will be “challenging” to navigate, Sunbury and Macedon Ranges businesses say.
The national break, announced by the federal government on September 11, will take place the day before AFL Grand Final public holiday on Friday, September 23 – meaning there will be two in a row.
Sunbury Autobarn owner Adam Mizzi said while Victorians loved public holidays, to “lob” another one into the weekend at short notice would be difficult for services like his to figure out.
“Coming through the pandemic and having to move job bookings is quite challenging and I think making it on the Friday would have been more than fine, to have one public holiday,” Mr Mizzi said.
“I’m all for long weekends, but not at the impact of the small businesses.”
Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne questioned how many more “whacks” small business owners in town could take.
“From a retailer and local perspective, small businesses have had to limit their opening hours… this will just be another day on which it may not be profitable enough to open the doors if penalty rates have to apply,” he said.
Mr Osborne does not see the need for ‘Footy Friday’, sharing the sentiment of Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group Tim Piper, who said the weekend would be costly.
“We’re not against the public holiday, it is acceptable for a monarch that has been ruling over Australia for 70 years… but every public holiday, and particularly one in Victoria that runs into another public holiday becomes an additional unbudgeted expense,” Mr Piper said.
“My mantra is, why do we need a Footy Friday? We’re not going to get rid of it this year, accept it, but why do we need to continue with it.”
Romsey Region Business and Tourism Association committee member and Newnham Earthmoving Romsey general manager Mick McCarthy said the construction industry had already been hampered by wet weather, COVID-19 and supply chain issues.
“To have another day off is challenging for us and our clients and particularly at such short notice,” he said.
