Labor and business groups are clashing over a bill to make Easter Sunday a public holiday in Tasmania, with the Legislative Council expected to vote on the measure tomorrow.
Labor Leader Josh Willie said the change is about fairness for workers doing it tough with the cost of living.
“Workers in other states receive public holiday rates on Easter Sunday, in Tasmania they do not,” he said.
“Tasmania has the fewest public holidays of any state and it’s time that that is changed.”
Willie acknowledged there would be “some cost to business” but said other states had implemented the change without major problems.
But a coalition of business groups has urged the Legislative Council to reject the legislation.
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Acting CEO Colleen Reardon said Willie was “hopelessly out of touch.”
“Mr Willie’s proposed Easter Sunday public holiday legislation is opposed by 80% of small businesses and hospitality sector employers,” she said.
Reardon warned the change would result in workers “missing out on shifts as small businesses are forced to stay shut rather than bear the costs of penalty rates across what will become an effective five-day Easter shutdown.”
Hospitality Tasmania CEO Steve Old said the bill would “put another nail in the coffin of business in Tasmania”, claiming Labor has “lost the trust of Tasmanian business”.
“If Labor thought this was such a good idea, why didn’t they take it to an election?” he said.
Government minister and upper house member Kerry Vincent also opposed the bill, saying it was “not the right move” and would have “unintended consequences”.
“We’ve seen many stories from people that own businesses that will be affected over Easter … they will be reducing hours, they will be closing, they will be reducing work,” Vincent said.
“There will be less in people’s pockets because of the pressure this will put on businesses.”
Standing alongside Josh Willie, Health and Community Services Union State Secretary Robbie Moore backed the bill, saying disability support and aged care workers are among those who deserve proper pay for working while others spend the day with family.
He said paying workers appropriately would also help address staffing shortages during busy holiday periods.
Disability support worker Jody O’Rourke, who has been in the sector for nearly 10 years, said the extra money would make a real difference.
“It’s twenty bucks extra an hour on top and the mainlanders get it, we don’t, which has been unfair for ages,” he said.
