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Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Page: 2952

Public Holidays

To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:

This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws the attention of the House that:

Weekend and shift workers are disadvantaged whenever Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a weekend and the public holiday substitutes (is moved) to the following Monday or Tuesday.

When substitution occurs workers rostered to work on the actual special day falling on the weekend don't receive a public holiday whilst workers rostered to work on the substitute day do.

This is unfair to weekend and shift workers.

Some States have legislated for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day to be public holidays when they fall on a weekend plus provide an additional public holiday on the following Monday or Tuesday.

Weekend and shift workers are also disadvantaged because Good Friday, Easter Saturday (in most states) and Easter Monday are public holidays but Easter Sunday (except in NSW) is not. (The NSW Parliament unanimously legislated for Easter Sunday to be a public holiday.)

This is unfair to weekend and shift workers.

Parliament should legislate a uniform standard across Australia.

Your petitioners ask the Senate:

Amend the National Employment Standards in the Fair Work Act to include:

1. An additional public holiday (not a substitute day) on the following Monday and/or Tuesday whenever Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day fall on a weekend.

2. Easter Sunday as a public holiday.

by Senator Collins (from 201 citizens).