Victoria 'simply cannot afford' another public holiday: Ai Group

'This proposal shows a scant regard for businesses operating in Victoria'

BY Dexter Tilo 26 Oct 2024

National employer association Ai Group has expressed opposition to plans for a new public holiday in Victoria, saying businesses cannot afford another one.

Tim Piper, Victorian Head of the Ai Group, said public holidays are "exceedingly expensive."

"We simply cannot afford an additional public holiday, whatever the reason, and the government not only needs to kibosh this ridiculous thought right now, but also to explain that it realises business can't handle more 'double or triple time' whammies," Piper said in a statement.

Victoria already has 13 public holidays, the highest among Australian states and territories. But there have been reports about the introduction of another one to celebrate Indigenous culture.

"This proposal shows a scant regard for businesses operating in Victoria and no real interest in attracting significant private investment to the state," Piper said.

"The best-case scenario can only be that it replaces the anomalous 'Footy Friday' public holiday. Footy Friday costs well over $1.5 billion to the economy."

New public holiday proposed

Negotiations for the new public holiday are expected to start before the year ends, reported news.com.au. It is one of the ideas considered in Victoria's treaty negotiations.

Ngarra Murray, First Peoples' Assembly co-chair, previously said the proposal for a public holiday stems from a deep desire among Aboriginal communities to see their cultures more embedded in Victorian life, ABC News reported.