Assembly Agrees To Half-Day Holiday On New Year's Eve

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Industrial Relations

Media Statement - 24 November 1999

Labor Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Wayne Berry today welcomed the support of other Assembly members for his bill to grant a half-day holiday on New Year's Eve to ACT workers.

"New Year's Eve 1999 is a special event and everyone should be free to celebrate it - after all it's a once a millennium event," Mr Berry said, "I wanted to make the ACT consistent with NSW by making a holiday in the ACT from noon on Friday 31st December 1999.

"The ACT Government uses consistency with NSW whenever it's bad news for ACT taxpayers. Now the Assembly has taken an opportunity to endorse a move to consistency which gives a positive result for ACT residents, in spite of the Carnell Government's opposition.

"The Carnell Government has recognised the importance of this New Year's Eve by allocating $500,000 to celebrate it, I wanted to make sure that workers get the time to prepare for the celebrations.

"Workers in a strong bargaining position have been able to negotiate significant penalty payments for working on New Year's Eve. My bill creates a level playing field where all workers, especially those in a weaker bargaining position, either get the time off or receive the relevant award penalty for a public holiday while the rest of us are enjoying ourselves.

"I believe that all in the community will welcome and support this holiday and on their behalf thank Assembly members for their support," Mr Berry concluded.