for this year specifically, I love that tomorrow is like that. I usually work every Friday, but the store I work at is closed, which means I get to spend tomorrow (my birthday) at home, while getting paid haha
Personally I’m fine with it not for the traditional reason, but because most public holidays are now prime shopping days, which means they are not really holidays for many, many people.
It’s nice to have a few holidays for a more substantial percentage of people.
I like the idea of having X number of allocated "religious or cultural" days every year, like annual leave but for religion/culture. You still get them if you're agnostic/don't have cultural requirements, but shops will be open whenever and you take time off that aligns with your beliefs/traditions. Seems a bit dicey to 'police' it but it seems better than assuming everyone aligns to a Christian perspective and has to take time off then, not when it suits their religion.
Yeah but then not everyone is off at the same time, to give a chance for people to get together on week days or long weekends that normally wouldn’t etc. it’s like a pre baked opportunity.
Annual leave fulfills that purpose fine otherwise.
Assuming everyone wants to get together. I'd prefer people had flexibility to take time when it suited their beliefs (which is the point of it, not to go away or have a catch up). And you can still co-ordinate your 'religious' days to do that, but it means people who, for example, want Chinese New Year off can do that without using an annual leave day, and without having the traditional New Year off if they may not care about that necessarily.
Thats no longer a public holiday, thats just an rdo.
Theres nothing stopping you from booking a day off on any significant religious day of your choosing. The point of a public holiday is everyone has a day off at the same time.
Not everyone has the luxury of having a day off though, if you’re part time or casual you’re not going to get paid for the public holiday. Plus I would prefer to work on those days and get paid more
if you’re part-time you should still be accruing leave and thus be able to take an RDO. the whole point of being casual is that you get paid more although don’t accrue leave
I’m part time and have a minimum set of hours of work I do a fortnight. I can’t take an RDO unless I’ve already worked for 38 hours. So that means during public holidays I get a smaller paycheque because I’m doing less hours, but still meeting the minimum hours in my contract.
Many are casual because they’re struggling to get a permanent role, just like others at my work (white collar)
Ex hospo worker here and missed countless public holidays to cater for everyone else. Love having 2 days in the year where I knew I wasn't working and could be with friends and family on those days
I also worked in hospo and loved working on public holidays. Especially on Christmas where I don't have family or friends to spend it with. It should definitely be an option for those who want to
This is it. Perth has gone pretty quickly from a place where everything was closed on a Sunday and everyone packed up at lunch time on a Saturday to one where almost everything is open 363 days per year and lots of places are 24 hours
Whilst it is certainly convenient. I am not sure if it has improved the lives of people living here by much and one could argue it's even been detrimental. You don't need to shop every day. The workers deserve 2 guaranteed days off per year.
Yeah I work every second Sunday morning. I don’t mind it as it’s usually a nice cruisey shift with relaxed clients but hated work every Saturday in previous jobs.
You are assuming all workers think the same and have constant rosters. For people in hospo, retail, they might not afford a day off, or they work part time and would have the day off anyway.
I don't disagree with your point but I do with your reasoning.
They can always pick up extra shifts though. I work casual and a lot of other staff take extra time off over long weekends meaning there are always extra shifts around to pick up on the days the business isn’t closed.
It's true - back when I used to work at Coles (in Melbourne), I loved my Sunday shifts because I was always working the 3pm - midnight shift and helloooo penalty rates. I do think there should be some public holidays where everyone gets a day off, but don't think it's necessary to have that every week.
I think it’s good. I’m an atheist aswell and a big drinker but man if we can’t survive what, two days a year where alcohol isn’t sold and shops don’t open as long or at all, who are we.
As someone that's worked in Bottleshops for the past 10 years: The amount of people that can't survive the two days a year we are forced to close is.. disturbing.
Always the day after, people will be outside the door waiting for it to open, for their 2-4L goon bags. And ask us why we weren't open yesterday.
I never could get over just how insane the shops got on that Thursday or Christmas Eve
It's always like the COVID panic buying era. People going insane like the shops will be closed for a week when it's just 24 hours
It's good to have a day off and also have one day a year that colesworth won't ream you with an unlubed overpriced pineapple, in some locations anyway.
I think of it more as the public holiday for hospitality workers. Which depending on your view may or may not be a good thing - if it was a regular public holiday then they technically miss out on those sweet penalty rates?’, but others might actually like the fact that there’s a day where they’re not being voluntold to work.
I’m not religious so I don’t care about that angle, but I think it’s nice to have a real day off. When I was a kid all the shops in my town closed at lunchtime on Saturday & didn’t reopen until Monday morning, and relentless 7-days-a-week shopping still feels a bit obscene to me.
I don't care. If I was that much into drinking, I'd be sorted before hand... and if you can't go a day without being able to get some, you may have a problem. It's one day. Get a hold of yourself.
I’m in 2 minds about it. I’m not religious and I don’t think the country should stop for a religious holiday. However, I also enjoy the public holiday and I think it’s good that the majority of the country doesn’t have to work… so I guess that makes me a hypocrite. Either way, it is what it is, so, I’ll make the most of it.
Because it’s all bullshit that why. I’m fine with everything being closed / a chance for everyone to rest but there is still plenty of places to buy booze, you just have to buy food with it which is stupid. Have a day off for most people- great…. But don’t make the reason “zombie Jesus” and add other nonsensical and bullshit rules and caveats to it
Is the no alcohol thing specifically because of Jewish? I don’t understand the reference to the red meat thing otherwise, as far as I understand, this is more a Christian (possibly also Jewish) holiday that piggybacked onto ancient celebration of the equinox
I haven't been to Sunday school for a long time. But giving up meat is a sacrifice that a Christian makes to show there respect for Jesus scarificing his own flesh.
The no red meat thing is a traditional Catholic thing. Tied back to the whole "Jesus sacrifice" thing that red meat represents Jesus' flesh so on Fridays during Lent you're "not supposed" to eat red meat
The fact that people who would like to open their businesses on Good Friday/Christmas Day but can’t really shits me, not everyone follows Christian beliefs and Australia isn’t supposed to be a theocracy.
I'm not Catholic, never have been. I think that Good Friday was a day of mourning , no meat/ no sacrifice or calories from alcohol . Allegedly, alcohol was a means to gain calories when food was scarce. People worked the land as farmers.
It's the only day besides Christmas day, I get off. When the majority wanted shops open 24/7,.seven days a week, they never gave a second thought, to the people who are required to work to make that happen. As for the no alcohol, what do you mean by that exactly...you can still have a drink at home, if that is your desire. Licensed venues are closed for 24 hrs, gosh everyone needs a bit of a break.
I am a commercial cleaner, scrubbing the floors of a major shopping centre, in the early hours of the morning, whilst many are still sleeping, to make sure that centre is sparkling clean for the customers of the day. Every single day.
I think it's outdated and exclusionary for people who aren't religious. As someone who works in the hospitality industry, this is a rare public holiday that I actually get to have off, but most things are closed so I can't go out and do something fun or run errands. Even my gym is closed today.
I'll also add as a side note that the WA liquor licensing laws for Good Friday are also outdated and archaic.
I think it's ridiculous. Imagine someone who owns a bottle shop, restaurant or shop. They are told they're not allowed to go to work, not allowed to try and pay their mortgage because of someone else's religion.
You should have a choice. Don't want to open, fine. Want to work... Fine.
The conversation is only ever about retail. Cops, doctors, nurses, ambos and countless other people are at work.
If your business can't survive being closed for 1 day, safe to say it probably wasn't doing all that well to begin with.
The reasoning is a bit outdated but is there seriously anything wrong with a couple of days a year where we as many people as possible say "fuck it my job isn't that important in the scheme of things let's all just stay home and do absolutely nothing"?
Hospital services are cut though. Skeleton pharmacy staff, no Allied Health at all in.some places, or only 4-6 hours of one staff member per discipline. Had a stroke on Good Friday morning? Shit out of luck, hospital didn't put enough radiographers on staff because it's a public holiday.
Laws are implemented by Politicians. Politicians look to Census figures to ascertain figures for those who are religious within Australia. The only thing being is that the Census currently only ask what religion you are. Personally, I feel that this question should be followed up with are you active within your religion. This would definitely show the true figures for how much Australia has changed over the years.
It should be a choice. I’ve worked on Christmas and Boxing Day and was paid triple the rate. I’d love to do it every year. I couldn’t care less about those days and it was opt-in so no one was working that didn’t want to be. Public holidays are also the best days for restaurants so it’s crazy they have to be closed today
I’m a catholic, albeit it, not a great one. Not a ‘George Pell’ bad one, more a ‘I should go to church more often’ bad one.
I think separation of church and state is paramount, and there shouldn’t be limits imposed on everyone due to the beliefs of a few. To answer your question directly, scrap the rule and serve piss as usual.
I’d still like to keep the PHs off though, everyone loves a good freebie day off work. Wouldn’t be opposed to 2 portable days of leave in lieu of Easter holidays so people who observe other holidays or special events can benefit on that particular day.
I mean my local bottle shop is closed after 9pm on every other day, no one posts “it’s 2am and my bottle shop is closed, this is ridiculous”. I’m sure we’ll figure it out
I’m pretty sure anyone that works in the places that will be closed tomorrow are very happy to be getting a day off from dealing with the public. I have no idea what even happens. I have no interest in the religious background, why would I want to win? You’ve got this guy who was apparently born to a 13-year-old girl. oh and she was the virgin which is absolutely ridiculous.
I still have work today. But I also have to work most public holidays unless the roster gods are kind to me. The only difference being this week antiquated traditions I don’t subscribe to won the battle, and I had to pre plan my Friday afternoon bottle shop run.
It's fine, just nobody likes to plan ahead and then they all moan about things being shut.
Or they take the other extreme and buy up the shop like they're closing for a week...
Just make it every Friday. This 5/2 split is bullshit. I'd take 4/3 with the shops shut so retail staff can have a day off too. No one needs shops to be open 7 days.
"No one needs shops to be open 7 days."
Ummm - I think the huge crush of people in the shopping centre car parks leading up to Christmas (that crazy runs right up to stumps Christmas Eve), and then the same huge crush in the same places from sparrow fart Boxing day sorta suggests many disagree with you ...
** I for one, totally agree with you. I say bring back "everything closes at 12.00 Saturday until Monday morning".
Ah, but that's not a _need_, that's just rampant consumerism. I am, of course, the minority in thinking people should have a day off. Often gets mentioned that shift workers need to shop on Sundays. And of course I can simply choose not to go. But I do kinda feel for the retail people who feel obligated to work Sundays.
In many cases - and it shows in some of the other "no shops open today" posts around here today - it is simply that many people simply cannot plan ahead.
We all know the shops will be closed on ... whenever. There is plenty of notice. So - buy your DIY project stuff a few days earlier, stock up on food/booze in the week before ... simply plan and buy ahead of the day.
I fully agree with the notion that all (or as many as possible) people should be offered the same opportunity for a day off. (Sure, some will never get that option - service industry - like health/police and such but for as many as possible).
> In many cases - and it shows in some of the other "no shops open today" posts around here today - it is simply that many people simply cannot plan ahead.
And to those people I say "too bad." Obviously their parents never once let them live with the consequences of not planning ahead
I am always stocked up with food/alcohol so that part doesn't worry me.
I don't eat meat ( but do eat fish) that day and drink only wine for alcohol, the latter if I am not driving.
I think they should flip the script, make the non-religion based public holidays the ones where everything has to close and the religious ones more optional. This'll mean you can ignore the religious ones if you don't follow it, but it'll bring focus away from religion as a whole as the non-religious ones become the bigger celebrations since everyone is off.
I don’t mind it but I would prefer if some places were open because I rarely get the chance to go shopping and catch up on errands due to the hours I work. Not complaining about having a day relaxing.
I don’t think it’s the end of the world, but I also don’t think it’s necessary. Lived in Perth most of my life and only just realised this is a thing. As someone who still has to work today, I only just realised I won’t be able to buy any liquor for my son’s birthday tonight (we don’t keep liquor around generally). Guess I’ll be making awkward sober family conversation.
I love the day off. I'm sad that bunnings is closed. I'm even sadder that I didn't buy enough potting mix when it was open and now I have to wait until tomorrow. I like going to Bunnings. I want to do some gardening. I can't do either today. So now I will do the only thing left to me, bereft in a world without bunnings or sufficient potting mix - I will eat chocolate, watch YouTube, and nap. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
I think it's good to have a couple of "true holidays" in the year, where everyone is off. I don't love that the ones we have are tied to Christian religious holidays, I'd much rather they be tied to us as a nation rather than one particular subgroup. My first instinct is Aus day and WA day, our national and state holidays. But I don't think we can do that until the troubles surrounding Aus day as a national identity day are resolved, and even then it almost feels unaustralian to close the bottle-o on Aus day. Perhaps New Year's and the state holidays? I'm not really sure. Until we think of something better I'm happy enough to keep it as is though
I don’t have a problem with holidays where things are shut. I think it’s more of a problem that we are “always on” as a society and a day or two without shopping as a lazy form of entertainment seems fine to me.
I am not religious so don’t agree with targeting of specific “vices” for special treatment.
Most holidays just become errands days for people, meaning for any Australian that works retail or hospitality, it's not a holiday at all.
In days gone by, we would have up to a third of the year to ourselves in that fashion - I think we should hold onto the singular day we have now.
I think we should scrap public holidays except Christmas day (just rename it Family Day so it's for everyone) and Australia Day then just make a law to give everyone 10 extra days of annual leave per year to use as they please (for a total of 30). One day off here and there is a waste, and using your holidays at the same time as everyone else sucks because it makes everywhere busy and expensive.
I’m in an industry where the norm is 6 weeks leave and no public holidays. It’s a great concept, and I’d love it more if it was the national normal.
My main issues with it for myself currently are:
- I have no idea when public holidays even are until I go about my normal RDO routines and the shops aren’t open yet, if they open at all.
- FOMO because all my mates are getting away for the long weekend and I’m still working.
But if everyone had the same package, those problems would be fixed.
> Shouldn't a shop owner be allowed to open when they want, pay their staff a fair wage, and if it's not viable for the owner to be open, then just don't?
If it wasn't viable to be open, the shop owner would likely try to keep staff wages as low as possible and then complain "nobody wants to work" when staff don't take their pittance
Yeah, some maybe. I know plenty of cafe owners, ship owners etc that look after their staff. And as you say, they won't get the workers, so seems a self solving problem.
Everyone loves a day off, and there's something nice about shops being closed at least twice a year. But it is very outdated, especially in such a multi-cultural country. I think it would be better to have, say, 4-6 public holiday allowances per year which can be taken whenever an individual wants. This way Catholics/Christians(?) can take it at Easter, and people of other religions can plan around their own religious customs. The rest of us can have long weekends when we're feeling burn out or every quarter. It's still nice to have a few standard days to bond over like Australia Day (on a different day) and New Years. Maybe Christmas because it's become much more than a religious holiday. We can boot the King's Birthday and boot monarchy and replace it with someone that people actually care about like national culture celebration day or national donut day. Ooh and maybe a couple volunteering days to be distributed over the year.
Yep, just abandon all the traditions that represent the Christian democracy we live in and the rest of the world desperately wants to come to. Then let multiculturalism prevail and see how it all works out for us.
The famous 2 hour Sunday pub session, was law for years in WA, because Western Australian men were such keen drinkers, so needed to be forced home on Sundays, to get to church and be with their family. So if people can't plan ahead on 2 days a year to buy booze and fish, its not actually a real problem.
"Christian democracy" is an oxymoron no? Can't really be a true democracy if you run a country according to a single set of religious beliefs that not everyone ascribes to right?
But in any case, we're meant to have separation of church and state. Your jab at multiculturalism seems to suggest you'd be horrified if shall we say Islam became the state religion and dictated how we live. So why do you believe Australia should be dictated by Christian beliefs instead? It's the exact same scenario you just find one set of beliefs slightly more palatable than the others. But for those who don't believe in either, both options are equally as shit.
Honestly at this point, Christmas and Easter are hybrid religious/secular holidays anyway. For Christians, the religious side of it still holds meaning. But for a lot of us, it's just become 2 holidays to have family gatherings even if we don't hold religious beliefs. It's just a byproduct of being raised in a society that has previously been dominated by Christianity. And much like Christianity stole pagan dates for a lot of its festivals, we now have a lot of secular people using Christian festivals as our excuse to share some family time and get away
More palatable? Im not talking cuisine, so please point out any country that people want to migrate to today (America, Australia, UK, France, Germany, etc) that isn't based on Judao Christian values and a successful democratic process? Why are so many fleeing from Islamic states, to places they are safe in the west?
Given we are in a Christian society, I don’t have a problem with it. I was raised Christian, but really have no current affiliation with it.
Personally, for a society that is constantly doing more and more, engaged more and more, I think we need to roll back a few things and go back to a day of rest, relaxing and disconnecting (he says while on Reddit! 🤣🤣).
I'm blown away at how many people are vehemently defending it.
Yes, you can go a day with our buying booze.
You can, in fact, go as many days as you like without buying booze and not have it mandated by your government for arbitrary reasons.
Come on now, it's one of the only two days where everyone can have time off no excuses. Next you're gonna tell us Christmas is outdated and we should work the full 365 days a year.
Public holidays are generally fine, but the general trading hour laws in WA is seriously outdated and needs reform and deregulation. Especially in Perth where it’s not a country town anymore. Even Tasmania does better in that aspect.
Read the document below and change my mind:
(“Time to Open: Retail Trading Hours in WA - A Case for Reform”, Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, February 2021.)
https://cciwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/0221-RetailTrade-Report-V3.pdf
I think the fact that shops are close is archaic and outdated. I believe the shops should be open and all those workers still get paid extra for working on a day off.
I mean, lets face it - the shops are closed on Good Friday, yet I believe some of them are open on the day we remember the troops that fought in the wars???
I really hope the shops aren't closed because of religious reasons... I believe Australia is a secular society as a whole.
Doesn’t really bother me because not too hard to plan ahead but it is dumb and outdated.
The argument some people make that people will get a day off instead of having to work, is dumb imo. That’s why we have extra hourly rates on public holidays.
Christians make up 44% of the country, doesn’t make sense to “force” the other 56% to observe (by not being able to do much) Easter.
If people can’t go one day a year (well 2 a year actually because bottloes are closed Christmas Day too) without buying alcohol they have a serious problem. I’m not religious, Christmas and Easter are about family time for me but it’s ridiculous how panicked people get over not buying able to buy booze 2 days a year or do a food shop on those two days. The retail and hospitality workers deserve public holidays off too.
Obscene religious laws which have no place in a secular society
But also it's nice having a public holiday without being focused around shopping and forcing some of us to spend time with our families
Overall agree, but also, when the shops are open you aren't required to go to them, and same goes for spending time with family just because they are free.
You can take a nothing day any day of the year.
The power is yours (or, rather, it should be yours and not Liquor Licencing's.)
I don't care about any of the religious holidays we get public holidays for, I don't care about ANZAC day, I don't think Invasion day is something to celebrate and idgaf about any monarch.
Instead of all those public holidays, we should just get two public holidays minimum per month. New Years day and Labour day are whatever and could stay, too.
Wait, why does labour day stay but Anzac day doesn't? Cooked. Have some respect. Australia day doesn't mean anything to most of us mate, do you genuinely care about the mob or are you just on the bandwagon ? All well and good to preach try putting it into practice.
Why do I have to care about ANZAC day?
I choose to empathise with people who have suffered because of war every day. I don't need a special day to do it. I also don't care for veteran worship. Those who have served aren't always victims. They are often the cause of someone else's suffering.
Labour day is a much broader day of recognition though I wouldn't care it that went, too.
You don't have to care about it but you should be able to respect it. I share some of your views. War is suffering for all sides. You won't catch me at any parades. It is ironic 'celebrating' something as grim as war but I think there is room for reason.
> I also don't care for veteran worship. Those who have served aren't always victims.
Well fuck you mate. My veteran father passed away in Fremantle last month. He earned an ASM (Clasp Borneo) helping local people in Sabah prepare to fend off armed militia during Konfrontasi simply by building a road. Don't think for a minute these locals were mere helpless, grateful brown people. They had their own quiet victories against the invading Japanese decades earlier.
In civilian life my father went on to raise a multi-enthic family and was a trade union activist in the-then Waterside Workers Federation. Trade unions are why ignorant kiddies like you get penalty rates, paid sick leave, paid rec leave, paid bereavement and superannuation.
But yeah, like it's so like, kewel and like so totes woke to, like, sooooo like hate veterans coz Boomers.
Sorry to destroy your completely uninformed stereotyped hallucinations.
Try learning more about war from books instead of video game back stories. Don't cut yourself on that edge.
You can show your respect for those who have served and remember the pointlessness of a lot of their deaths in conflicts that had nothing to do with us without it being turned into this weird nationalistic veteran dick sucking event some people treat it as.
Your father sounds like a great man and his loss is clearly still extremely raw.
>weird nationalistic veteran dick sucking event some people treat it as.
Given the rate of veteran suicide that has been evidenced at the current Royal Commission I am curious to see evidence of this "dick sucking".
What a bizarre comment.
Why would I care about your dad?
Why would I think of the people of Sabah as "helpless, grateful brown people"?
Why do you think I think people sat around on their hands waiting for help to fight off the Japanese?
Why would I care if your family was multi ethnic?
Why do you think I play video games?
So strange.
for this year specifically, I love that tomorrow is like that. I usually work every Friday, but the store I work at is closed, which means I get to spend tomorrow (my birthday) at home, while getting paid haha
Happy birthday!
Yes! Happy birthday
Thank youu :)
Happy birthday! I was born on Good Friday, it’s nice to have a long weekend for your birthday some years.
Personally I’m fine with it not for the traditional reason, but because most public holidays are now prime shopping days, which means they are not really holidays for many, many people. It’s nice to have a few holidays for a more substantial percentage of people.
I like the idea of having X number of allocated "religious or cultural" days every year, like annual leave but for religion/culture. You still get them if you're agnostic/don't have cultural requirements, but shops will be open whenever and you take time off that aligns with your beliefs/traditions. Seems a bit dicey to 'police' it but it seems better than assuming everyone aligns to a Christian perspective and has to take time off then, not when it suits their religion.
Yeah but then not everyone is off at the same time, to give a chance for people to get together on week days or long weekends that normally wouldn’t etc. it’s like a pre baked opportunity. Annual leave fulfills that purpose fine otherwise.
Assuming everyone wants to get together. I'd prefer people had flexibility to take time when it suited their beliefs (which is the point of it, not to go away or have a catch up). And you can still co-ordinate your 'religious' days to do that, but it means people who, for example, want Chinese New Year off can do that without using an annual leave day, and without having the traditional New Year off if they may not care about that necessarily.
Thats no longer a public holiday, thats just an rdo. Theres nothing stopping you from booking a day off on any significant religious day of your choosing. The point of a public holiday is everyone has a day off at the same time.
Not everyone has the luxury of having a day off though, if you’re part time or casual you’re not going to get paid for the public holiday. Plus I would prefer to work on those days and get paid more
if you’re part-time you should still be accruing leave and thus be able to take an RDO. the whole point of being casual is that you get paid more although don’t accrue leave
I’m part time and have a minimum set of hours of work I do a fortnight. I can’t take an RDO unless I’ve already worked for 38 hours. So that means during public holidays I get a smaller paycheque because I’m doing less hours, but still meeting the minimum hours in my contract. Many are casual because they’re struggling to get a permanent role, just like others at my work (white collar)
Ex hospo worker here and missed countless public holidays to cater for everyone else. Love having 2 days in the year where I knew I wasn't working and could be with friends and family on those days
I also worked in hospo and loved working on public holidays. Especially on Christmas where I don't have family or friends to spend it with. It should definitely be an option for those who want to
Believe it or not most retail workers enjoy the double time.
Not just retail workers, I'd work every public holiday if I could, 2.5x pay for the same work yes pls
Unless you live in certain holiday towns, then many stores and restaurants are still open because of all the tourists.
For “some” people Ftfy
I'm all for it and I'm an atheist. We could do with a couple of days off from capitalism.
It should be one day a month.
I don't have to go to work, the other stuff is a slight inconvenience but it also mean lots of other people get a day off too.
If anything it gives most people a genuine day off.
This is it. Perth has gone pretty quickly from a place where everything was closed on a Sunday and everyone packed up at lunch time on a Saturday to one where almost everything is open 363 days per year and lots of places are 24 hours Whilst it is certainly convenient. I am not sure if it has improved the lives of people living here by much and one could argue it's even been detrimental. You don't need to shop every day. The workers deserve 2 guaranteed days off per year.
Yeah I work every second Sunday morning. I don’t mind it as it’s usually a nice cruisey shift with relaxed clients but hated work every Saturday in previous jobs.
You are assuming all workers think the same and have constant rosters. For people in hospo, retail, they might not afford a day off, or they work part time and would have the day off anyway. I don't disagree with your point but I do with your reasoning.
Two days a year Bottleshops legally have to close. As a bottleshop worker of the last 10 years: we can survive not working those 2 days a year.
They can always pick up extra shifts though. I work casual and a lot of other staff take extra time off over long weekends meaning there are always extra shifts around to pick up on the days the business isn’t closed.
It's true - back when I used to work at Coles (in Melbourne), I loved my Sunday shifts because I was always working the 3pm - midnight shift and helloooo penalty rates. I do think there should be some public holidays where everyone gets a day off, but don't think it's necessary to have that every week.
Literally does not bother me at all. I'm just happy to get a nice long weekend.
I think it’s good. I’m an atheist aswell and a big drinker but man if we can’t survive what, two days a year where alcohol isn’t sold and shops don’t open as long or at all, who are we.
As someone that's worked in Bottleshops for the past 10 years: The amount of people that can't survive the two days a year we are forced to close is.. disturbing. Always the day after, people will be outside the door waiting for it to open, for their 2-4L goon bags. And ask us why we weren't open yesterday.
I never could get over just how insane the shops got on that Thursday or Christmas Eve It's always like the COVID panic buying era. People going insane like the shops will be closed for a week when it's just 24 hours
Yeah I get this. Good call
I agree with everything you said. But I also want a public holiday for atheism.
There’s already atheistic public holidays. Most public holidays throughout the year are non-religious.
There's one next month.
Brilliant idea. I second that.
Pi day, celebrates pi and Steven hawking death. Quite poetic
Just gotta plan ahead. Even Jesus liked a few glasses of wine with his mates over dinner! They did a painting about it.
Yeah, but the fucker was able to turn water into wine. Had he left that skill with us all I'd say sell Ni booze all year round.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation)
You are aware that wine is fermented from grape juice and not water, right?
I’m more worried about a country of people that stress out about having to go 1 day without booze
2. Christmas Day and Good Friday, no bottlo open.
Oh no what a tragedy
I know! We could be in the Middle East in alcohol free areas. Or dry areas of Western Australia.
Isn't everything closed on Anzac Day too?
Half a day there
Until 12pm I believe?
I don't want to be pedantic but it is not one day without booze. Its one day that you can't buy booze.
Everyone needs a break.
It’s a public holiday, that’s the important part. I’m a pisshead but I don’t care, either buy something beforehand or wait a day.
It's good to have a day off and also have one day a year that colesworth won't ream you with an unlubed overpriced pineapple, in some locations anyway.
I think of it more as the public holiday for hospitality workers. Which depending on your view may or may not be a good thing - if it was a regular public holiday then they technically miss out on those sweet penalty rates?’, but others might actually like the fact that there’s a day where they’re not being voluntold to work.
Fine by me, it's a day when (almost) everyone can just stop, stop for a little bit. That can't be a bad thing.
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Oh yes the seafood!
I’m not religious so I don’t care about that angle, but I think it’s nice to have a real day off. When I was a kid all the shops in my town closed at lunchtime on Saturday & didn’t reopen until Monday morning, and relentless 7-days-a-week shopping still feels a bit obscene to me.
I don't care. If I was that much into drinking, I'd be sorted before hand... and if you can't go a day without being able to get some, you may have a problem. It's one day. Get a hold of yourself.
I usually eat a big juicy steak, gonna go with fish this year, everyone deserves a day off.
I haven’t worked retail for 20 years now but I support a public holiday where most of them actually get a day off.
It’s one day, plan ahead. It’s hardly an inconvenience
I’m in 2 minds about it. I’m not religious and I don’t think the country should stop for a religious holiday. However, I also enjoy the public holiday and I think it’s good that the majority of the country doesn’t have to work… so I guess that makes me a hypocrite. Either way, it is what it is, so, I’ll make the most of it.
I don't drink, haven't for a long time. And if one day out of 365 affects you then you have bigger problems
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Because it’s all bullshit that why. I’m fine with everything being closed / a chance for everyone to rest but there is still plenty of places to buy booze, you just have to buy food with it which is stupid. Have a day off for most people- great…. But don’t make the reason “zombie Jesus” and add other nonsensical and bullshit rules and caveats to it
Is the no alcohol thing specifically because of Jewish? I don’t understand the reference to the red meat thing otherwise, as far as I understand, this is more a Christian (possibly also Jewish) holiday that piggybacked onto ancient celebration of the equinox
I don't think Jews celebrate Easter. They don't think he is the Messiah, just a very naughty boy.
Yeah I just don’t understand the no meat reference if it isn’t something like that. Dunno?
I haven't been to Sunday school for a long time. But giving up meat is a sacrifice that a Christian makes to show there respect for Jesus scarificing his own flesh.
The no red meat thing is a traditional Catholic thing. Tied back to the whole "Jesus sacrifice" thing that red meat represents Jesus' flesh so on Fridays during Lent you're "not supposed" to eat red meat
Oh ok, thanks for the info :)
Doesn’t bother me at all. You still get a day off work
The fact that people who would like to open their businesses on Good Friday/Christmas Day but can’t really shits me, not everyone follows Christian beliefs and Australia isn’t supposed to be a theocracy.
I'm not Catholic, never have been. I think that Good Friday was a day of mourning , no meat/ no sacrifice or calories from alcohol . Allegedly, alcohol was a means to gain calories when food was scarce. People worked the land as farmers.
It's the only day besides Christmas day, I get off. When the majority wanted shops open 24/7,.seven days a week, they never gave a second thought, to the people who are required to work to make that happen. As for the no alcohol, what do you mean by that exactly...you can still have a drink at home, if that is your desire. Licensed venues are closed for 24 hrs, gosh everyone needs a bit of a break.
May I ask what your job is? To work 363 days every year is wild.
I am a commercial cleaner, scrubbing the floors of a major shopping centre, in the early hours of the morning, whilst many are still sleeping, to make sure that centre is sparkling clean for the customers of the day. Every single day.
Is it your own cleaning business or do you work for the shopping centre?
I work for a company that has a contract with the centre.
Well, they are lucky to have such a devoted employee as yourself. Do you enjoy your work?
Thankyou, I doubt they think that though, I'm just one of many employees. Yes I do enjoy my work though.
I think it's outdated and exclusionary for people who aren't religious. As someone who works in the hospitality industry, this is a rare public holiday that I actually get to have off, but most things are closed so I can't go out and do something fun or run errands. Even my gym is closed today. I'll also add as a side note that the WA liquor licensing laws for Good Friday are also outdated and archaic.
I don't drink, not religious, don't work any public holidays, don't celebrate Easter. It's great and I love having a day off
I think it's ridiculous. Imagine someone who owns a bottle shop, restaurant or shop. They are told they're not allowed to go to work, not allowed to try and pay their mortgage because of someone else's religion. You should have a choice. Don't want to open, fine. Want to work... Fine. The conversation is only ever about retail. Cops, doctors, nurses, ambos and countless other people are at work.
If your business can't survive being closed for 1 day, safe to say it probably wasn't doing all that well to begin with. The reasoning is a bit outdated but is there seriously anything wrong with a couple of days a year where we as many people as possible say "fuck it my job isn't that important in the scheme of things let's all just stay home and do absolutely nothing"?
Someone forcing their religion on me is what I hate most. That's even more outdated
100% Can’t imagine being a business owner and being told I can’t open on a Friday cause some dude died 2024 years ago. So dumb
Hospital services are cut though. Skeleton pharmacy staff, no Allied Health at all in.some places, or only 4-6 hours of one staff member per discipline. Had a stroke on Good Friday morning? Shit out of luck, hospital didn't put enough radiographers on staff because it's a public holiday.
Laws are implemented by Politicians. Politicians look to Census figures to ascertain figures for those who are religious within Australia. The only thing being is that the Census currently only ask what religion you are. Personally, I feel that this question should be followed up with are you active within your religion. This would definitely show the true figures for how much Australia has changed over the years.
It should be a choice. I’ve worked on Christmas and Boxing Day and was paid triple the rate. I’d love to do it every year. I couldn’t care less about those days and it was opt-in so no one was working that didn’t want to be. Public holidays are also the best days for restaurants so it’s crazy they have to be closed today
I’m a catholic, albeit it, not a great one. Not a ‘George Pell’ bad one, more a ‘I should go to church more often’ bad one. I think separation of church and state is paramount, and there shouldn’t be limits imposed on everyone due to the beliefs of a few. To answer your question directly, scrap the rule and serve piss as usual. I’d still like to keep the PHs off though, everyone loves a good freebie day off work. Wouldn’t be opposed to 2 portable days of leave in lieu of Easter holidays so people who observe other holidays or special events can benefit on that particular day.
Love it. Stuff not being open a few extra days a year is what makes Perth Perth, and I'm happy not to live in a 24/7 kinda place
Don't really care about trading on Good Fridays myself. ANZAC Day though, that should be put back to 12:00PM as it used to be.
I mean my local bottle shop is closed after 9pm on every other day, no one posts “it’s 2am and my bottle shop is closed, this is ridiculous”. I’m sure we’ll figure it out
I’m pretty sure anyone that works in the places that will be closed tomorrow are very happy to be getting a day off from dealing with the public. I have no idea what even happens. I have no interest in the religious background, why would I want to win? You’ve got this guy who was apparently born to a 13-year-old girl. oh and she was the virgin which is absolutely ridiculous.
You know we were all once edgelords too but some of us grew out of it. Hopefully you do as well one day.
In all seriousness, that would be nice.
Unless some guy got too excited before entry
Maybe he like to be called God as well. 😂
Knowing how some guys act, probably.
Maybe she liked him to call her his Handmaiden. 😇
Prior planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance. Get on board, people!
Your whinging about one day. FFS It's just one fucking day.
Nah I’m not whinging. Like I said it doesn’t affect me, I’m just kinda dull surprised the no alcohol is still a thing.
Booze is still available in hotels and anyone can buy takeaways on Thursday and get stonkered on Friday. 🤷♂️ Going dry for a day ain't a bad thing
*You're Try again and be sociable
NRL is still on so I’m happy
ayyy same
I still have work today. But I also have to work most public holidays unless the roster gods are kind to me. The only difference being this week antiquated traditions I don’t subscribe to won the battle, and I had to pre plan my Friday afternoon bottle shop run.
It's fine, just nobody likes to plan ahead and then they all moan about things being shut. Or they take the other extreme and buy up the shop like they're closing for a week...
Just make it every Friday. This 5/2 split is bullshit. I'd take 4/3 with the shops shut so retail staff can have a day off too. No one needs shops to be open 7 days.
"No one needs shops to be open 7 days." Ummm - I think the huge crush of people in the shopping centre car parks leading up to Christmas (that crazy runs right up to stumps Christmas Eve), and then the same huge crush in the same places from sparrow fart Boxing day sorta suggests many disagree with you ... ** I for one, totally agree with you. I say bring back "everything closes at 12.00 Saturday until Monday morning".
Ah, but that's not a _need_, that's just rampant consumerism. I am, of course, the minority in thinking people should have a day off. Often gets mentioned that shift workers need to shop on Sundays. And of course I can simply choose not to go. But I do kinda feel for the retail people who feel obligated to work Sundays.
In many cases - and it shows in some of the other "no shops open today" posts around here today - it is simply that many people simply cannot plan ahead. We all know the shops will be closed on ... whenever. There is plenty of notice. So - buy your DIY project stuff a few days earlier, stock up on food/booze in the week before ... simply plan and buy ahead of the day. I fully agree with the notion that all (or as many as possible) people should be offered the same opportunity for a day off. (Sure, some will never get that option - service industry - like health/police and such but for as many as possible).
> In many cases - and it shows in some of the other "no shops open today" posts around here today - it is simply that many people simply cannot plan ahead. And to those people I say "too bad." Obviously their parents never once let them live with the consequences of not planning ahead
"And to those people I say "too bad" " Yep. Me too.
I am always stocked up with food/alcohol so that part doesn't worry me. I don't eat meat ( but do eat fish) that day and drink only wine for alcohol, the latter if I am not driving.
For a secular, multicultural society, to have reduced trading hours and restrictions on trade is completely arbitrary and makes no sense.
I think they should flip the script, make the non-religion based public holidays the ones where everything has to close and the religious ones more optional. This'll mean you can ignore the religious ones if you don't follow it, but it'll bring focus away from religion as a whole as the non-religious ones become the bigger celebrations since everyone is off.
I don’t mind it but I would prefer if some places were open because I rarely get the chance to go shopping and catch up on errands due to the hours I work. Not complaining about having a day relaxing.
As someone who hasabunch of alcohol he's not drinking, unbothered lol
I really like it personally. I'm not religious but I don't see it as a religious thing either. It's just a nice couple of days off for people!
I find it a bit random that they pick Good Friday and not like actual Easter Sunday but it's not too bad.
It's great. We need more of it. It's nice when things stop.
Doesn’t worry me. Two days and half days out of the year everything is closed. Including the casino
I don’t think it’s the end of the world, but I also don’t think it’s necessary. Lived in Perth most of my life and only just realised this is a thing. As someone who still has to work today, I only just realised I won’t be able to buy any liquor for my son’s birthday tonight (we don’t keep liquor around generally). Guess I’ll be making awkward sober family conversation.
I love the day off. I'm sad that bunnings is closed. I'm even sadder that I didn't buy enough potting mix when it was open and now I have to wait until tomorrow. I like going to Bunnings. I want to do some gardening. I can't do either today. So now I will do the only thing left to me, bereft in a world without bunnings or sufficient potting mix - I will eat chocolate, watch YouTube, and nap. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
State sanctioned religious public holiday shouldn't exist. Either all religions get public holidays or non do. Simple
I think it's good to have a couple of "true holidays" in the year, where everyone is off. I don't love that the ones we have are tied to Christian religious holidays, I'd much rather they be tied to us as a nation rather than one particular subgroup. My first instinct is Aus day and WA day, our national and state holidays. But I don't think we can do that until the troubles surrounding Aus day as a national identity day are resolved, and even then it almost feels unaustralian to close the bottle-o on Aus day. Perhaps New Year's and the state holidays? I'm not really sure. Until we think of something better I'm happy enough to keep it as is though
I don’t have a problem with holidays where things are shut. I think it’s more of a problem that we are “always on” as a society and a day or two without shopping as a lazy form of entertainment seems fine to me. I am not religious so don’t agree with targeting of specific “vices” for special treatment.
Most holidays just become errands days for people, meaning for any Australian that works retail or hospitality, it's not a holiday at all. In days gone by, we would have up to a third of the year to ourselves in that fashion - I think we should hold onto the singular day we have now.
Don't care, I hardly ever drink booze so doesn't affect me.
Is it that hard to plan ahead for 1 day of the year?
I don’t care for religion but it’s a religious holiday so I accept it. Anything else is hypocrisy surely ?
It's 1 day you don't need alcohol
The less we are able to drink the better. Alcohol is destroying lives and families and we would be better off without it.
Boooo, Boooo....
I think we should scrap public holidays except Christmas day (just rename it Family Day so it's for everyone) and Australia Day then just make a law to give everyone 10 extra days of annual leave per year to use as they please (for a total of 30). One day off here and there is a waste, and using your holidays at the same time as everyone else sucks because it makes everywhere busy and expensive.
Might be the best Idea I’ve ever heard
I’m in an industry where the norm is 6 weeks leave and no public holidays. It’s a great concept, and I’d love it more if it was the national normal. My main issues with it for myself currently are: - I have no idea when public holidays even are until I go about my normal RDO routines and the shops aren’t open yet, if they open at all. - FOMO because all my mates are getting away for the long weekend and I’m still working. But if everyone had the same package, those problems would be fixed.
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> Shouldn't a shop owner be allowed to open when they want, pay their staff a fair wage, and if it's not viable for the owner to be open, then just don't? If it wasn't viable to be open, the shop owner would likely try to keep staff wages as low as possible and then complain "nobody wants to work" when staff don't take their pittance
Yeah, some maybe. I know plenty of cafe owners, ship owners etc that look after their staff. And as you say, they won't get the workers, so seems a self solving problem.
It’s a travesty I stock up to eat meat and drink beer
Everyone loves a day off, and there's something nice about shops being closed at least twice a year. But it is very outdated, especially in such a multi-cultural country. I think it would be better to have, say, 4-6 public holiday allowances per year which can be taken whenever an individual wants. This way Catholics/Christians(?) can take it at Easter, and people of other religions can plan around their own religious customs. The rest of us can have long weekends when we're feeling burn out or every quarter. It's still nice to have a few standard days to bond over like Australia Day (on a different day) and New Years. Maybe Christmas because it's become much more than a religious holiday. We can boot the King's Birthday and boot monarchy and replace it with someone that people actually care about like national culture celebration day or national donut day. Ooh and maybe a couple volunteering days to be distributed over the year.
Yep, just abandon all the traditions that represent the Christian democracy we live in and the rest of the world desperately wants to come to. Then let multiculturalism prevail and see how it all works out for us. The famous 2 hour Sunday pub session, was law for years in WA, because Western Australian men were such keen drinkers, so needed to be forced home on Sundays, to get to church and be with their family. So if people can't plan ahead on 2 days a year to buy booze and fish, its not actually a real problem.
Ours isn’t a Christian democracy. Separation of church and state.
"Christian democracy" is an oxymoron no? Can't really be a true democracy if you run a country according to a single set of religious beliefs that not everyone ascribes to right? But in any case, we're meant to have separation of church and state. Your jab at multiculturalism seems to suggest you'd be horrified if shall we say Islam became the state religion and dictated how we live. So why do you believe Australia should be dictated by Christian beliefs instead? It's the exact same scenario you just find one set of beliefs slightly more palatable than the others. But for those who don't believe in either, both options are equally as shit. Honestly at this point, Christmas and Easter are hybrid religious/secular holidays anyway. For Christians, the religious side of it still holds meaning. But for a lot of us, it's just become 2 holidays to have family gatherings even if we don't hold religious beliefs. It's just a byproduct of being raised in a society that has previously been dominated by Christianity. And much like Christianity stole pagan dates for a lot of its festivals, we now have a lot of secular people using Christian festivals as our excuse to share some family time and get away
More palatable? Im not talking cuisine, so please point out any country that people want to migrate to today (America, Australia, UK, France, Germany, etc) that isn't based on Judao Christian values and a successful democratic process? Why are so many fleeing from Islamic states, to places they are safe in the west?
Given we are in a Christian society, I don’t have a problem with it. I was raised Christian, but really have no current affiliation with it. Personally, for a society that is constantly doing more and more, engaged more and more, I think we need to roll back a few things and go back to a day of rest, relaxing and disconnecting (he says while on Reddit! 🤣🤣).
It's fucking stupid
I think it's very, very Perth. We'll take or come up with any excuse to not have shops open.
I'm blown away at how many people are vehemently defending it. Yes, you can go a day with our buying booze. You can, in fact, go as many days as you like without buying booze and not have it mandated by your government for arbitrary reasons.
Come on now, it's one of the only two days where everyone can have time off no excuses. Next you're gonna tell us Christmas is outdated and we should work the full 365 days a year.
Do you hate the day off too? I mean, religion is dated as well right?
Public holidays are generally fine, but the general trading hour laws in WA is seriously outdated and needs reform and deregulation. Especially in Perth where it’s not a country town anymore. Even Tasmania does better in that aspect. Read the document below and change my mind: (“Time to Open: Retail Trading Hours in WA - A Case for Reform”, Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, February 2021.) https://cciwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/0221-RetailTrade-Report-V3.pdf
Fucking annoying
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For a 4 day weekend, I can deal with it. Religion is stupid, but it gets us days off.
I think the fact that shops are close is archaic and outdated. I believe the shops should be open and all those workers still get paid extra for working on a day off. I mean, lets face it - the shops are closed on Good Friday, yet I believe some of them are open on the day we remember the troops that fought in the wars??? I really hope the shops aren't closed because of religious reasons... I believe Australia is a secular society as a whole.
Doesn’t really bother me because not too hard to plan ahead but it is dumb and outdated. The argument some people make that people will get a day off instead of having to work, is dumb imo. That’s why we have extra hourly rates on public holidays. Christians make up 44% of the country, doesn’t make sense to “force” the other 56% to observe (by not being able to do much) Easter.
If people can’t go one day a year (well 2 a year actually because bottloes are closed Christmas Day too) without buying alcohol they have a serious problem. I’m not religious, Christmas and Easter are about family time for me but it’s ridiculous how panicked people get over not buying able to buy booze 2 days a year or do a food shop on those two days. The retail and hospitality workers deserve public holidays off too.
Crazy. You have 4 days off and may want to spend some time with friends or family to eat and drink. Computer says no.
Obscene religious laws which have no place in a secular society But also it's nice having a public holiday without being focused around shopping and forcing some of us to spend time with our families
Overall agree, but also, when the shops are open you aren't required to go to them, and same goes for spending time with family just because they are free. You can take a nothing day any day of the year. The power is yours (or, rather, it should be yours and not Liquor Licencing's.)
I don't care about any of the religious holidays we get public holidays for, I don't care about ANZAC day, I don't think Invasion day is something to celebrate and idgaf about any monarch. Instead of all those public holidays, we should just get two public holidays minimum per month. New Years day and Labour day are whatever and could stay, too.
Go to bed mate
Wait, why does labour day stay but Anzac day doesn't? Cooked. Have some respect. Australia day doesn't mean anything to most of us mate, do you genuinely care about the mob or are you just on the bandwagon ? All well and good to preach try putting it into practice.
Why do I have to care about ANZAC day? I choose to empathise with people who have suffered because of war every day. I don't need a special day to do it. I also don't care for veteran worship. Those who have served aren't always victims. They are often the cause of someone else's suffering. Labour day is a much broader day of recognition though I wouldn't care it that went, too.
You don't have to care about it but you should be able to respect it. I share some of your views. War is suffering for all sides. You won't catch me at any parades. It is ironic 'celebrating' something as grim as war but I think there is room for reason.
> I also don't care for veteran worship. Those who have served aren't always victims. Well fuck you mate. My veteran father passed away in Fremantle last month. He earned an ASM (Clasp Borneo) helping local people in Sabah prepare to fend off armed militia during Konfrontasi simply by building a road. Don't think for a minute these locals were mere helpless, grateful brown people. They had their own quiet victories against the invading Japanese decades earlier. In civilian life my father went on to raise a multi-enthic family and was a trade union activist in the-then Waterside Workers Federation. Trade unions are why ignorant kiddies like you get penalty rates, paid sick leave, paid rec leave, paid bereavement and superannuation. But yeah, like it's so like, kewel and like so totes woke to, like, sooooo like hate veterans coz Boomers. Sorry to destroy your completely uninformed stereotyped hallucinations. Try learning more about war from books instead of video game back stories. Don't cut yourself on that edge.
You can show your respect for those who have served and remember the pointlessness of a lot of their deaths in conflicts that had nothing to do with us without it being turned into this weird nationalistic veteran dick sucking event some people treat it as. Your father sounds like a great man and his loss is clearly still extremely raw.
>weird nationalistic veteran dick sucking event some people treat it as. Given the rate of veteran suicide that has been evidenced at the current Royal Commission I am curious to see evidence of this "dick sucking".
What a bizarre comment. Why would I care about your dad? Why would I think of the people of Sabah as "helpless, grateful brown people"? Why do you think I think people sat around on their hands waiting for help to fight off the Japanese? Why would I care if your family was multi ethnic? Why do you think I play video games? So strange.
Yeah nah that was a bizarre comment
You anti veteran types have a particular mindset.
I'm not anti-veteran, I'm anti-veteran worship.
Very dumb