Victorian’s may soon be celebrating even harder on AFL Grand Final Day
Residents in Victoria are hoping that state government proceeds with its plan to gift them two additional public holidays each year. The additional public holidays would bring their total holidays for the year to 13, which is ahead of all other states.
Under the plan Easter Sunday, which is currently not a public holiday in Victoria, would become a recognised public holiday. Additionally Victorians would receive a day off before the AFL Grand Final, a move which can only bring very large smiles to the faces off workers in Victoria.
However, the move is likely to upset many business owners. A Regulatory Impact Statement indicates that the two extra days off will cost the state between $717 million and $898 million dollars. It is expected that the financial improvements generated as a result of the holidays would be much less than this figure, coming in at $156 million to $312 million.
Victoria’s Acting Small Business Minister, Gavin Jennings, is choosing to focus on the best case scenario financial results which is leading us to believe the government is very keen on pushing ahead with the new public holidays in Victoria. Additionally, these additional public holidays were one of Labor’s pre-election promises and they seem intent on keeping this promise.
There’s no doubt residents in other states may be hoping for some additional public holidays once they get wind of this. Perhaps NSW and QLD could have public holidays after each State of Origin game?