As a New South Welshman, I’m incredibly jealous of the extra holidays that Victorians get. Grand Final Eve seriously sounds like the machinations of a fifth grader, and no adult had the guts to tell them that such a day doesn’t exist. Moreover, these Aussies get to take work off on November 2 to rationalise horses getting shot? How come my Melbourne Cup Day is never that special?
But this year, these people really have taken the cake. Because Queen Elizabeth II’s public holiday takes place on September 22 and their Grand Final Eve takes place on September 23. This means, Victorians are now getting a four-day weekend.
To this end, I ask the people of Victoria: Why stop at four days? Why not take three vacation or sick days off beforehand? If you skip work on September 19, 20, and 21, you can have a blissful week away from it all.
Meanwhile, if the rest of the country decides to chuck a sickie on September 23, there could be major economic consequences. Finder has flagged that if enough people wag on that Friday, then employers could be hit with over $461 million worth of lost productivity.
“Workers are trying to take advantage of the bonus public holiday by turning it into an extra long weekend,” explained Finder’s personal finance specialist, Taylor Blackburn.
“This is how Black Friday got its name in the US – with the Thanksgiving holiday always on Thursday, many workers would not come in on the Friday – hence it was a dark day for owners.”
Moreover, for those of us who will be good little eggs that work on September 23, this holiday will disrupt our routines. We’ll have to endure three days of work, a day off, and then a strange Friday. There’s no rhythm or flow to such nonsense.
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And to that end, what can you even do with a single free Thursday? Some laundry while doom scrolling through Netflix cooking programs? It just isn’t fair folks, it just isn’t fair.
On a more serious note, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) isn’t happy with this placement of the Queen’s new holiday either. If it was arranged to be later in the year, the medical profession could have been more prepared for this day of disruption.
According to The Guardian, the AMA’s President, Steve Robson, stated, “The short notice that’s been given for this public holiday will have ramifications for patients and of course an already struggling health system.”
Robson additionally explained, “We will once again be playing catchup and having to explain to many patients that their care will be delayed, which in some cases may be for several weeks or more.”
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