Anonymous
21st Apr 2012we all survived when the shops were closed at 5.30 and sundays,and only opened late thursday night and 12 saturdays ,Back then there was still shift workers that could do there shopping so why and what has changed.Trading on anzac day is utterley disgraceful and clearly the government who said yes to it clearly does not care about the fallen troops and the troops that are still out there serving our great counrty. Why dont they open the banks,post office ,centerlink and all the other public or private buisiness even parliment could open.Just think how many strikes there would be if everybody had to work on these days.Also the amount of money it costs these shops with penalty rates is just not worth them opening.PLEASE STOP AND RECONSIDER THE LAWSdelete
Emma Maiden
20th Apr 2012I remember the crestfallen look on my Mum's face when I told her I had been rostered to work on Christmas Day when I worked at McDonalds as a teenager. I was disappointed too but the penalty rates were at least generous. Society needs to ensure all workers can balance their working and other lives. We can all support this by opposing the State Government's proposed changes to retail hours, by resisting the call by many in the banking sector for the abolition of penalty rates, by supporting the Secure Jobs. Better Future campaign, by setting the right example ourselves by "taking the time" to spend with our families, friends and communities and much more. Congratulations to all involved in this campaign and I wish you every success.
Anonymous
I have worked in retail for 17 years now after a break to bring up my kids. When i was younger we only had trade late thursday night and half day on Saturday mornings. Since then we have trade 7 days a week, 24 hours stores, when is enough enough. We are open for so many hours as it is, if you cannot get your shopping done in the time we are open, bad luck to you. We have families too you know. we would love some time off as well . Its alright for the ones in the head offices, they only work mon - fri 9-5. Wheres the equality in that, its all about the bottom line at the end of the day.We are just another number...
Anonymous
Just wanted to say that my store only gets 2.5 restricted trading days.To take. Xmas and good Friday away from us is a crime.i bet the polititians get to have these days plus more off.Also think about it...if these days get taken away from us it will create poor morale in stores leading to poor customer service in which customers will not want to shop as much. 2 days off Dosnt hurt but if they are taken away they will hurt!!
Anonymous
As a former retail employee and member of the SDA, I totally understand. This was one of the reasons why I left the industry. When I first started in 1994, I worked 76 hours over 2 weeks, with 1 Thursday Night and every 2nd weekend. On that weekend, I finished at 5 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday. A the end in 2007, I was expected to work every Thursday night (9-9), still every second weekend but now finishing at 6 on Saturday and 5 on Sunday. I was still only getting paid for 76 hours though...and they were just about to change the roster again for 3 Saturdays a month... And no, I wasn't going to be paid any extra... The retailers don't hire any extra staff to cover these extra days, they just expect their extra staff to cover it. I was full time, not casual and I was treated like this. I'd hate to imagine what being a casual worker is like these days. And another thing... I always refused to work ANZAC Day. They should never have been allowed to open at all on this day. More respect for what this day means is due. I think people should be able to do without going to the shops for a day...they're not really missing anything...
Anonymous
I have been working in retail for the past 15 years in a holiday area, so we have always been open on Boxing day and Easter Sunday. I have worked almost every Boxing day and Easter sunday instead of spending the day with my family. We have family that travel to visit at Christmas time and I dont get much time to see them as Im working Boxing day. It is unfair that other poeple in other jobs get a 3 or 4 day weekend but we have to work, yes the money is their on public holidays for us working in retail but family is more important. It wont hurt anyone for us to be shut the 4.5 days a year (2.5 in hoilday areas). We are not asking for much. It gives us all a break and a day with family. I Feel the Goverment should take a day in our shoe's, Working your butt off all the time to get the pay packet we get and get to spend no time with our family. Those who work in the Goverment dont have to work on public holidays, do get to miss out on seeing their familes. UNFAIR....
Anonymous
I have worked in retail since 1964 both as front line and senior management now part time as I wind down to my retail life. During these many years so many changes to trading hours have had a great impact on the lives and families of my colleagues and my own family and social life.Easter used to be a full four day holiday, now we are down to just four and half days a year, these days must be maintained for the sake of the families of those who choose to work in retail,( a necessary industry) and for the religious and cultural significance these days have for most Australians
Lena Moy
What is this world coming to. Is there no moral respect left in this world. No human values. No respect in christian beliefs anymore. We need to leave at least what's left four & half days left out of the 12mth calendar days left as mark of respect for our family christian beliefs, also the days like Anzac Day in memorial for those who died for us so as we all here can have a country to live in. If it wasn't for God & the Anzacs where would be now & for the next generations to come & to teach all of the above to the next generation, not to teach them that we must work 24/7 and have no family life etc et etc, need I say more.
Anonymous
Unfortunately for our family both my husband and I work in retail (for a major supermarket chain), I say unfortunately because the holidays, that people who don't work in retail, get to enjoy with their families are not an option for ours. We are finding it so upsetting now that we have grandchildren that the remaining couple of days that we could plan on spending as a family are going to be stripped away too...and I'm sorry but if anyone believes that it is 'strictly voluntary' to work on these days you are fooling yourself...say no once and you are likely to be victimised right out of a job.
Jo-Anne Halliday
I have worked in retail for over 20 years and have done all hours required of me, but enough is enough.When do we get the time to spend with our families if this rueling goes ahead.Don't we have the rights that public servants, banks and all other office workers have like family time.lease make our views known shop assisstants are always getting the rough end of the deal.
Anonymous
I have worked in a retail outlet with a total of 9 staffs and a manager. We did not have much of a say not to be able to work on public holidays or on special culturally significant days (i.e. Easter, Christmas, New Year, Dashami, Deepawali, Eid etc.). These days of celebration are very essential for people to be able to enjoy their time with family and friends. However, being bound to the retail industry where the top level management only really care about profits and sales, regulation must be put in place for the employees on the front line to be able to opt in or out to work on those days. Regulation must be put in place to close a store for the day if need be, to let the employee have their much needed break, or leave it open if sufficient number of employees are willing to work on those days. Rather than being put in a position to have the job or leave it when the issue is about not being able to work on those "culturally significant days"
Anonymous
i have worked in retail for 5 years as both a casual and full time emplyee. 2 years ago i got a job in a major australian retailers flag ship sydney store in Pitt St Mall. i have allways been told i am required to work on boxing day in i refuse it is considered as my resignation. what baffless me most is that most retailes start the mid season sale that traditionaly begins on boxing day in the fortnight before christmas. making it even more rediculous to race to the shops on boxing day.
Anonymous
its not fair . my family needs to work around my days off so we can have a family day or i just miss out. why ???? my sisters enjoy all the public hoildays, but i work retail and miss out on all the fun??? thanks retail worker
Anonymous
The stress that retail workers suffer leading up to Christmas with the longer trading hours, most unnecessary, is extreme. At least they had Christmas day and Boxing day off. Now the state government has "decreed" that they can open outside of Sydney. "Yippee" for the retailers, what about the exhausted staff? The government said they do not have to work, it will be their choice, but the pressure the bosses put on them to work is real and no amount of laws will stop that, the retailers expect them to work or suffer the consequences. Boxing Day is a wind down day after the build up to Christmas, let everyone enjoy it.
Anonymous
I am a first time father ,who works fulltime in retail .it is disappointing that some members of our goverment are trying to take our rights away ,to take the time off us permanent workers who find it harden enough to take the time off work due to the government thinking that we have to many public holidays as is .as a first time father of a almost twelve month old child,who i just want to spend every spare moment i have with him and my wife on these public holidays it is a farce what the nsw government wants to do ,so i am taking the time off this year .
Anonymous
I understand that many people work on Christmas day and public holidays. I also understand that these people have chosen jobs that affect people's lives so they need to be open these days eg hospitals and police etc. However, I highly doubt that people need retail stores open on Easter Sunday and boxing day. I already disagree that some people who work in hospitality work these days. The only people who would bother going to the grocery store on Christmas day would be those in need of cigarettes which is bad for them anyway. What about all the people who go to church on these days to give worship to Jesus, hence the whole reason we have Easter and Christmas? People eg Barry o'farrell have forgotten the true meaning of Easter and Christmas! It's downright appalling that people want to work on such sacred days. Boxing day is still part of Christmas as a day of recovery. People need to stop being so selfish and remember that it's not a day for presents and money, it's a day for spending time with family and friends sharing love and faith.
Anonymous
Why should retail be trading on such day, as a retail worker I would love to spend the time with my family and be with my growing children of future. I'm taken away from my family on such day. Who is it do be there with my kids and enjoy a festive lunch with them. I work in a large retail firm which is individual franchise, we do not receive our commission two weeks later not till after our goods have been ordered in which is a waiting period of 10-14 weeks. My last franchise was steeling staff commission which all staff only recently got a big back pay due to staff complaint with the new franchise. Now wats the point in working on such day web we could spend time with our family.
Anonymous
I work in a large well known retail firm, I only work on a commission base with a small wage intact, I Do NOT recive my commission of sale on the same week I get my wage, I commission is help and paid 2weeks later. I do not see the fairness of working in a day or any other public holiday and do not get paid for our hard work or even doing a 12 hour shift on that day. My company I work in is individual franchise and the previous franchise I had was stealing our commission and not paying us fairly. In order to saying this all the staff has prove to a back pay that we have revived due to staff inquiry that we have done with our new franchise who has just come into business in our store. So please where is the fairness in thisAs now the government wants retail to trade on boxing day. We do not get any penality for working such days. Please help stop retail getting any RICHER and help us family parents have more time with our growing children of this world. With kind regards.
Anonymous
We need to keep our public holidays why should nearly every other profession get to have time with there family's friends and spend time in there community's and people in retail miss out on thIs time we work hard just like everyone else we deserve this time off as well if at christmas we only get the one day off how can we get to enjoy our time knowing they there is pressure from our employers for us to work for people that have to travel to be with family over Christmas Easter etc they miss out if they have only 1 day off cause the last thing you feel like doin is traveling hrs on end each way to have 2 or 3 hrs with family and friends I have had customers say to me that's it's not fair on us only having 1 or 2 days off that what would be the harm in the shops closing for more days what happened yrs ago when the shops shut for nearly a wk over Christmas no1 run out of food every1 had a well earned break and spent quality time with there loved ones I said bring back the old days
kym dow
Dear Mr O'Farrell,Just wanting to know if you would allow your wife, son, daughter, or even grandchild to work on Easter Sunday, Boxing Day, or even Christmas Day and not be allowed to celebrate these traditional public holidays, would you Mr O'Farrell enjoy missing these family members from your dinner table or backyard bbq, I don't think so. So why should all of us who serve the community day in and day out be made work on these days especially. Your government would have Christians as members of parliament there would be their employees who have families as well, so are they going to miss out on these family moments, I don't think so, so why should we. Remember I the Voter can and will have my say at the polling booth.regardsKym Dow
amanda horadam
If we lose anymore PUBLIC HOLIDAYS it is going to impact on Family time, which then leads to a higher DIVORCE rate, it will impact on the CHILD CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.I challenger you Mr O'Farrell to ask yourself would you allow your son/daughter to work on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day and Boxing Day and miss out on this precious time with their families.Regards Amanda Horadam.
Anonymous
I work in a store where it is exempted to trade on boxing day and easter sunday. If we want to take day off on that day then we are to either use annual leave or get normal pay while our friends in trade restricted zone doesnt have to.This is not fair as well. We all do the same job, but why is there a discrepancy.Thanks.
"lets make it fair for all"
Anonymous
I ask the govt to please here our voices. I work in retail and I love my work. I also ask the govt to appreciate that my work doesn't love me, "it's my family and god that loves me".What about them?Consumers can wait an extra day (27th Dec) to buy a kettle or a new t shirt or whatever it may well be. Why the 26th.
This country as far as I knew has been known as a Christian country.
God help those business owners and consumers that cannot wait 1 extra day to purchase their so called "specials".
I beg you please to hear our voices and not those who have agreed to this. I guarantee you they are not of Christian background.
gloria simmonite
I am totally against opening stores on boxing day what mp is going into work on boxing day they are with family and friends shop assistants work long hours and very hard before christmas and again after christmas at post christmas sales give us a break not all stores have casual staff they can call on to work boxing day that means full time staff that are worn out have only one day off It is very hard to see all family members on christmas day and most people spread this over christmas day and boxing day and what about the people that have to travel to see family please give us a go we only want what everyone else in australia wants 2days off
Anita Foxwell
I have worked in retail for the last 16 years doing payroll and running the office. I have had to work every single public holiday in that time. The only public holidays that we are not open is Good Friday, Easter Sunday (which is technically not a public holiday because, I am sure, it was not envisaged that people would ever have to work on Sundays at any time) and Christmas day and Boxing Day. I have to work Easter Saturday and Easter Monday so I don't even get to have 2 days off in a row at Easter. Christmas week is so busy and manic that we are run off our feet until closing at 11pm on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is spent recovering. Because of this my family has changed our get-togethers until Boxing Day because I am too tired and worn out on Christmas Day to enjoy myself much at all. I am not alone in this. Retail workers do not get to have the family time and celebrations that the majority of people take as their rite. We do not get the extended breaks that would allow us to travel to see our families. What we do get is the rough end of the stick. And now the public supposedly wants Boxing Day trading. I think the retailers want Boxing Day trading. I am sorry but I think the general public can get by without shopping every single day of their lives. I don't think that asking to retain four days a year is asking for too much especially since it is a lot less than everyone else currently enjoys. It is killing Christmas and Easter for us and makes me wonder why we don't count as much as everyone else.
Galadriel Caldwell
How do I start !!!! It makes me very upset to think that Barry O' Farrell wants to let the retailers trade on Boxing Day......Shame on you SHAME . My family always come first, and I think every one would agree with me when I say,"Christmas Day and Boxing Day " are the days we all cherish ... Barry doesn't have to work,he has time off for several weeks over Christmas and New Year ...Familes enjoy these days with loved ones and friends....Christmas Day to me is spending the day with my adorable children and watching them open there presents and playing with them all day ..... Then on Boxing Day we travel to my extended Families for Boxing Day Lunch and and spend the afternoon with them .... Then the next day we are all robots again. Please re-consider your decision thank you
Anonymous
How do I start a campaign to have all Coalition electoral offices open, with MPs available for meetings with constituents on Boxing Day? Good for the goose...
Anonymous
Christmas Day and Boxing Day are my recovery days from an extremely busy time as a service manager. I work hard and 1 day without Boxing Day is useless for me and family. ANZAC Day for me and my partner means volunteering at our Anzac Day service. By collecting for our surviving service men and women, at lunch we tend bar and wait on them and have cooked breakfast at our dawn service for 20years.
Anonymous
the Boxing Day holiday is important to me for the simple fact that is a family time. Last year my eldest son came on christmas day for 3hrs because he lives 2.5 hrs away in another town and had to work on boxing Day so didn't get much time with him, his wife and my grandsons. this is the same at Easter time and any other public holiday that the stores wish to open. It is not fair as we don't get the quality that we should for family as a family is the most important thing in our lives.
Kelly Russell
When asked why it is important to you to keep Boxing Day a closed trade day, well in one word FAMILY. It is my time to spend with my family. being so far away from my family all year it is a time we can come together and enjoy what we have. You take it away, you take our special time we all have together.
Rachel MacGregor
If Boxing Day is deregulated as no longer being a restricted trading day and we lose one of only 4.5 restricted trading days it takes away one of only two times a year I get to spend with my family because our traditional family Christmas celebration will be cancelled becasue my mother will work because she is too nice to say no and will not have the time to organise the gathering.
Anonymous
I am a Dept. Manager in a Supermarket. I work long, hard hours every week. I like many I know give many "extra " hours already and feel compelled to do so. I feel pressured to work Public Holidays so the few i don't have to are treasured. Once they get the stores open on those days they will start eroding away the penalty rates. Look whats happened over the last 20 years!!! Work/home life balance is one sided already. Barry, you have got this one wrong. For once, can Politicians LISTEN!!!
Margaret Gissing
If Boxing Day becomes a normal day's trading, I would be unable to spend this one extra day with my daughter, when she is able to visit. She is in the Navy and stationed 4000 kilometres away, so we usually see each other only once a year. It also cuts out another one of the few times a year that I can catch up with my son and his family, who live only a few suburbs away. Now, we in retail work harder and often longer hours in the buildup to Christmas, then work late Christmas Eve for Sale set up. We might even really want to go to a Church Service, if we can stay awake. Why does anyone think it is fair to then tell us that we have to go back to chaotic first day sales after having only one day with our families. Especially in the part of the industry in which I work, which would definitely be classed as recreational shopping, not essential. I do not shop on public holidays and would encourage everyone to spend recreational time with their families on every available occassion.
Anonymous
I work in liquor retail as a store manager.
Many days of my week are physically draining.
Until the trading restrictions were amended a couple of years ago I worked a 12 hour day on Christmas Eve, then had Christmas Day off with my family. My employer consistently has pressured managers & staff to work on public holidays like Boxing Day to save the company money, but at what cost to us?
We are NOT second class citizens of NSW so why do Greg Pearce & Barry O'Farrell think they have the right treat us like we are?
Anonymous
I worked in Retail in the NT before moving to NSW. We only received two protected public holiday days due to being a Tourism area. This meant we often held our store 'Christmas' function on Good Friday because other than Christmas Day, this was the only time none of our team needed to be at work. Surely NSW doesn't want to end up like this!!!!
Robyn Lecky
I live and work in a tourist area on the central coast. I am a pos coordinator and always feel compelled to work and when I dont the work is never completed well and it is always difficult to find staff who are willing to work. It would be wonderful not to have this stress at this special time of year and just be able to enjoy a day with my family.Our store is only closed 2.5 days a year. That's not much of a break! Please consider this.
Anonymous
Do we "shop", because the shops are open? or Do they open because we will "shop" I respect my co-worker and other worker in the trade.. I do not shop after the sun goes down, I do not shop after the midday sun on Saturday. I will not shop on a public holiday, not even the petrol station or the cinemas. If I don't have it, it can wait.. The more we stop the shopping in these times, then profit will stop, then the shops will be closed on these days.. I ask you and your families, not to shop on these days
Anonymous
working for large companies you feel pressure to work outside rosters, on public holidays etc because it all comes down to sales and wages. i live in a small country town i am a single mum with 2 kids, my family live some distance and it is the only time that i am assured that we can enjoy christmas as a family . it is easy to say that working these holidays is voluntary but you feel immense pressure to work . where will the politicians be this christmas, i hope they are made to work behind a register 9 hours serving customers . i enjoy my job and thankful that i am able to work full time but unfortunately i think the retail industry isnt looking at the big picture . if you have children that need care while you are at work , what sort a childcare will be available christmas , if public transport is required what will they do . think of the families that have disabled or aged family in care and looking forward to a days outing or visits to the family home . nursing home sector is also on skeleton staff as alot of patients attend family gatherings. many family sacrifices are made already in the retail sector especially supermarkets with trading hours . it is very hard to balance work and family as it is . HAVE OUR POLITICIANS BECOME THAT OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY AND FAMILY LIFE .
James Lehn
Hi, my name is James and I am a proud member of the SDA and I work in the retail sector in my home town of Grafton.
Being a disabled person of poor vision I depend on public transport (buses) to get to and from my employment.
I would be amazed if the political proposers of the changes to allow trading on public holidays have taken the problems of public transport that I and others would face if rostered to work on these days. (I could walk it's only 3km crossing highways, roads a bridge etc).
I know that dispite federal pushes to get more disabled into the workplace politicians ignore the difficulties disabled people face when policies are formulated. It would be good if they could experience how their ideas impact on others.
John Vincent
I am 2 months of 65 and I only work part time which is every weekend and I want my public holidays of if they fall on a weekend I do not want to be forced to work them as I have and that included the monday in fact I lose money. I have respect for the Men & Women who gave their lives for Australia and to me ANZAC Day should be like Christmas Day & Good Friday Closed all day & I claim this day of as a holiday. To me the large shops do not care about their staff or anything except their profits
Kylie Burgess
A Government who is prepared to extend retail hours should first consider what...it is that Australian people are given?
I do not wish to come across as discriminatory in the slightest way, I believe that each individual is entitled to their own rights but surely should we not be looking at days that other cultures who are not indigenous to Australia are gaining rights to have leave of absences from work committments for their own religious or spiritual beliefs, should we not be looking at how in our schools where I see notices about wishing people a Happy Holiday in preference to the phrase I have known all my life and to wish people a Merry Christmas for the sake of the minority of children who do not celebrate Christmas....Public holidays are the only days of the year that all Australians are entitled to be with their families without the need to expend on Childcare, or other necessities just to have the retailers be able to make that extra buck....What is the Government really aiming for? How much are the Financial Institions making from credit interest charges for people who use them, how much more will retailers really make by extending trading to accomodate for those few extra days? I may not currently work in retail but I only get those special few public holidays off and there is no way that I would allow them to be taken away, these public holidays are our rewards for working each and every other day, it is our time to be able to be with friends and family, and we have deliberately chosen these industries and roles to be able to have them....Wake up NSW Government...you cant have always been in polictics to forget what its like to work in the "Real World"
Jenny Kesby
My partner has holidays at Xmas time as we are a resort store I'm unable to take holidays then. I look forward to Easter break as my partner is home & so am I. Almost(at 4 days)like a holiday.
Brendan Evans
Over easter of two years ago my family decided to go down to Victoria to visit my grandfather at the last minute. As it was less then 2 weeks from Easter I could not put in leave with the proper time to take the Easter Sunday off.
Not having the ENTIRE Friday to Monday as public holidays means the working in the retail industry. My roster goes over all 7 days of the week, and by not having the Sunday as a public holidsay means its a normal work day.
Cindy Daymond
Haven the Public Holidays off is much easier for us to travel to see family in Tamworth & Ballina. Haven the 4 days off over Easter is needed as we normally drive to Tamworth to see my husbands family for easter.
Haven family time is very important, and haven the extra day makes it easier when you have to travel long distance away to see family.
Michelle Croft
When I was a kid Easter Long weekend all shop were closed, and we all enjoy going away or staying home, waking up on easter sundaywith my parents there watching our faces light up with joy with all the easter eggs and having a easter hunt and also going to church,but as the year went on those value stop as retail shops open on a sunday, and now that I'm a mother of three, I try to keep those valuesbut its hard if you work every saturday & sunday, so iy hard to keep values of when I was a kid.
This is why easter sunday should be a P/H.
Michelle Sullivan
The four day holidays for Easter is important to me becausemy husband works fulltime 9-5 both my children are now at shcool,and this is the time that all my family and friends meet up for camping. My family travel from Melbourne, Sydney and Queenslandso that we can all enjoy spending time together at the one time knowing that we can all be there on these day.
Ann Apps
Retail outlets should be close Xmas/Easter to allow families to spend time together, you can not buy time with families and they all grow up to fast. We all have fridges/freezer to be able to keep food for several days. There is always enough open hours leading to these events that we could all havethe holidays & time with famil and/or friends, not only in retail but accross the board in Australia Xmas/Easter everything should be closed. Then wecan use our imagination to help us past the time with family/friends and even just ourselves.
Take time to smell the Roses.
Marie Bunt
Its important to me as this year will be the first time in 5 1/2 years, I get to spend Easter sunday with my little girl and watch her open her easter eggsand spend 4 days with my family & friends. And join in on activities at the Easter break.
Nicole Livy
I believe that its very important that the 4 1/2 days restricted trading days remain restricted as on thoese days as I know I can spent time with my familyon these days without the pressure to work.
Easter 2011 was the first easter in 12 years I had spent the whole time at Easter with my family, as in the past I was always required to work onEaster Sunday. My kids and I went to Canberra and because in 2011 ANZAC Day fell at the same time as easter we were able to attend the Natinal dawn servicewhich as an ex military employee I find very important to our country, I was able to share with my chidern how important ANZAC day is to our countryand they now after the attending the dawn service and museum they now have a better understanding of our history and look fondly back on our holiday.This would never have happened if I would have had to work easter sunday.
Helen Greer
Would like to say no to working Easter public holidays, as my children usually come down to my farm and as I have to work I don't get to spend much time with them. If I had time off I could go camping or driving showing them places of interest or just stay at home relaxing with them and catching up. The drive down from Sydney takes them 5hrs so me going to work minimizes the time I have to spend with them. I will not see my son much after this year as he is going to live in USA.
Jason Dove
I live in Coffs Harbour and work at Wollies. My kids left home for schooling this year, 1 to Brisbane and one to Melbourne. This Easter is going to be one of two few times we can all get together thanks to the public holidays. If I had to work on Easter Sunday it would impact me personally as I would miss most of this very short time I got to spend with my kids.
Karen Bolton
Why are public holidays are important to me is it would be the only time I can spend with my family with easter coming up I would have to work on the sunday as I work every sunday and therefore would be unable to take a four day holiday to see my daughter and Grandchildren as they live eight hours away it is not worth driving there only to turn around and drive home for work commitments.
Maria Hall
Easter Public holiday I chose this public holiday because my daughter works on the weekend and of course Easter is a time when families get together. My other daughter lives in adelaide and is flying up to Canberra to spend the holiday break with us Unfortunately her sister cant spend this quality time with her sister and family why! because she has to work Easter Sunday as it is not a public holiday in the ACT.
Donna Squires
I work 5 days a week and my husband is a full time worker that does 12hr shifts my two son are full time uni students so the only time we can get together as a family are the Public holidays ie easter & Xmas. so if you take away the public holidays my time with my family will be greatly decreased.
Gary Bowerman
Being a grand dad of a 5 & 4 year old grandaugters. Public holiday exsample: Easter. I get a chance to travel to Sydney and spend time with them. They grow up so fast. These times are preshes!
Debbie Woods
With my daughters work hrs always being on a weekend or public Holiday. She usually misses out on birthday celebration and Easter family get Togethers. also cannot plan Long Range and has to work whatever Roster as does not want to lose hrs.
Evol Weakley
Easter is important to my family for family and religious reasons. We have always used this time of the year to come together to celebrate. I would hate to think it would stop if it became impossible for family members to no longer have these days to share together.
Anonymous
It is important to keep the easter holidays in tact as they are, it is a way of family-friends being able to enjoy togetherness and participate in the easter traditions through their church families and as easter break doesn't personally affect me. I would hate to see my extended family loose these entitlements.
Anonymous
I find it unfair if we lose Easter Sunday. Imagine the impact it would have on us all. We need the time with family and friends we deserve it!!!
Anonymous
During the Easter break I try to arrange to go on a holiday for a couple of days with friends to enjoy the holidays to do things that we usually don't have time to do like going to dinner enjoying a couple of drinks.
Anonymous
As a single parent. Working on Public Holidays such as Christmas & Easter does not allow me to spend quality time with my daughter. It stops us from going away to spend time with our extended family. My daughter often complains that I'm always at work and we can't do things together.
Anonymous
As a Christian I attend church on Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Christmas Day. I also go to the Dawn Service in Martin Place on ANZAC Day. The rest of these holiday times are spent with my family, especially my elderly grandmother. If I had to work on these public holidays then I would not be able to do any of these things. Please keep our restricted days!
John P.A. Ivanovski
As a Macedonian Orthodox we like to spend time together in Easter going to church & spending time with family and friends due to the fact that our religion is important to us but also to our way of life, Its impostant to us like our loved ones our health & happyness I can't imagine the pain & hurt going to work then spending time with the ones I hold dearest to my heart.
Kalysa Fleming
Every year my kids are dissapointed that we can't go camping with our family as I have to work. This year will be the second year that we have been able to join our friends and family at Easter.
Kathy Todd
My daughter will start work in a few years time. No doubt she will be a casual and be expected to work public holidays. Easter is the only great time to visit her grandparents without the rush.
Michael Bennett
The main reason that I wish to keep Easter Sunday as a public holiday is that it enables me to spend time with my family, and we can all get together and appreciate the weekend, as we don't all live together and we can travel Interstate to be with everyone.
Nicole Rapley
Boxing Day is important to me as I have family that live a couple of hours away and it means that with both Christmas and Boxing Day off means I can spend a couple of days with them.
Daniel Dixon
Myself and family members have served in the military, therefore ANZAC Day is a big part of things for myself and them. I have alot of family that do notlive in the same town as myself and the time that we can see each other is Christmas and Boxing Day. If it was only one day and not two, there would not be time to really catch up and spend some good time together.
Anonymous
My husband's brother and nephew are coming over from England at Christmas so I don't want to work Boxing Day so I can be with them all.
Anonymous
Christmas time is a time where my parents come to visit my wife and I, and have Christmas lunch and dinner together. then on Boxing Day, we have lunch with my teo sisters. wihtout these two days off, my family would never be able to spend time together as this is the only time of the year we do.
Charlotte Maguire
Boxing Day is important to me because my husband is a school teacher and my children still go to school and they have this time off as school holidays. It is hard for me to get this time off because I work retail. My husbands family live in sydney so my husband and children go down on christmas Eve and stay for the week. I would go down on christmas Eve and come back on Boxing Day so Icould spend the holidays with his family but if I had to work Boxing Day it would be impractical to go down (it is 4hrs by car, 6hrs by trian, 5hrs by bus) so I would spend 4hrs driving down Christmas Eve wake up to have breakfast and then have to get to the train station by 7am whcih is 45min away to get home on Christmas Day to work on Boxing Day.
Sharon McManus
Trading on Anzac Day is disrespectful to all the people who fought to make this country what it is. I cannot honour my relatives on the one day a year that we should. Christmas/Boxing Day trading affects me greatly as I have a very large family scattered across NSW. the one time in the year I can see everyone is Boxing Day which of course I have to miss due to work. And it is usually a skeleton crew at this time of year. I feel to say no is making a bad situation worse for the people who are working.
Sharon Hall
I'm a mum of 2 boys and a wife of a 7day/week shift worker so family time is limited to us on a weekly or even daily basis. So days like Christmas Day and Easter Sunday have to be kept as just family days or we would bever have the chance to spend some really quality family time together. As it is we feel as a family rhat we have no work life balance. I beleive 4.5 days a year really isn't a lot to ask especially when there is 365 days in a year.
Aaron Doherty
With increasing demands on relatives to make sales targets, family and community time has fallen by the wayside. I think it's outrageous that people can't have 48hours over Christmas to spend time with their families. thats 2 days, people only need to think ahead 2 days prior, its not a big ask. Anzac Day is another I would like to see closed. It's a day that defines Australia as a country. My grandfather used to tell me, " We didn't fight half a war, so why do we get half a day?" Surely a day that pivotal in the history of a nation as young as ours deserves our full attantion, not just half of it.
Maureen Goodman
I look forward to my weekends off as I am a carer for my husband and I appreciate quality time off so I can take my husband to see my children and see the grandchildren. when its Easter time, thatthe greatest time for me and my husband so we can go to church and have Easter Hunts. Christmas is also important to us as a family and I and my husband beleive that a family that prays, plays together stays together, and you are a long time dead.
Barbara Buxton
Having to work in retail on the Easter break is very hard on me as I missout on joining with my family and grandchildren. It is a time where we cannot join in church matters as a family and anytime we can be together is greatly treasured.
Anonymous
Christmas I got to see my family/cousins that live down the far south coast. A 7 hours drive. Never get to see them that much. This was the first time in about 3/4 years. the only other time I see them is at funerals or reunions. I will be doing this again this year. We go camping as a family get together reunion.
Anne Krklinska
My time with my family and friends are important and special being together and not take our public holidays away. The government should be aware people need time for special occassions such as Easter, Christmas etc. All work hard so why take our holidays. People should not need to work on those days.
Anonymous
My time with my kids and grandkids are very important to me and to them. Losing my rights, I could not see them on Easter and Christmas Day. My friends are in the same boat as me as well.
Tony Williams
The 4 day Easter weekend is important to a lot of people in the community. Even though I personally work the weekend (or the 3 days we are open), people who do not feel the same as I do should have the right & ability to have that time & to spend it with their families or whomever they please. For people in my store, many of whom are living away from home to study this is one of the only opportunities they may have to travel back to where their parents are to see them & spend time with them. A one or two day break is simply not viable when travelling 3,4,5 or 6 hours each way is factored into the equation. For students especially it is often difficult to strike a work/life/study balance, a task that is only made more difficult by distance.
The ability of people to have the time, or to be fully compensated if thay choose to work it, needs to be protected at all cost
Leanne Moppett
Easter Sunday should be a public holiday for 2 reasons. One is the religious side, you can be made to work instead of being able to go to church. The second reason is family. Easter Sunday is a family day, all families should have the right to spend time together on this day.
Daniel Carvey
I work every second weekend and if Easter Sunday fell on my weekend + I had to work it would disrupt my time with my family. In this day & age it is very hard to find time to spend with your family & having 4 days off over Easter would be just ideal. This allows my wife & I to visit her mother in QLD & we live in south NSW. I would be very upset to have to give up this opportunity to see my family just because I had to work Easter Sunday
Gai Hamilton
My family and extended family are very important to me as I lose people I get older they are even more important.
Christmas is very special and as I have several people in the police force I have to be more flexible to be able to celebrate with everyone I love.
Leanne Wood
My name is Leanne and for the last four years I've been working on Easter Sunday. It's so nice to be able to have a choice. Now I can do something with my kids.
Noelene Woodward
It is important for me and my family to have Christmas day & Easter Sunday as a Public holiday as it is a family day where all the family get together as these are the only days where all our family as a "family" get together.
It is also a time where our friends sometimes spend time with us. It's a time where you can relax, have a laugh.
Fiona
These four days are so important to me because we don't get to spend every weekend with my fiance as he works in the mines so is away for 2 weeks and only home for one. That time is precious to us, especially our 7yr old child. Even if her dad was away at work, I am able to spend that time with her over thos four days.
Carol Lontis
As being a mother and now a grandmother, it is very important to me and my husband to have the time available to spend quality time with parents, children and grand-children as we both work long hours and are not getting any younger.
After losing 2 very close family members over the past twelve months, it now has become even more important for all our family to be able to spend as much time together and heal together.
Margaret Nicol
Easter is important because of my religion and also to be with the family, and help to look and spend quality time with the kids & grandkids.
Laurel Johnson
My husband works away Mon-Fri - he is home on a weekend. I work every weekend & look after my grandkids on Mon & Tue - my days off. Being able to take a full weekend off over Easter means a lot to our Family & Just to my husband & I, to spend Quality time together & even be able to get away on our own for a weekend. WOW.
Vanessa Larsson
It is important for me to have the public holidays off at Christmas. My dad's birthday is the 25th Dec. In our family, we try to make thsi day special for him by all coming together and doing the "Birthday" thing. This is usually one of two times a year we are all able to get together.
It is something I look forward to and I know he does too. I don't want to have to miss out. It is hard to keep up with family when most live interstate.
Kim Barnes
Public Holidays are immensly improtant to me.
Over Easter every year I complete at Sydney royal with my ponies. Because of the four consecutive days off my elderly parentsmyself & my working children will be able to enjoy this easter break together participating in a sport we all love - together.
Easter is a very important time of year for families & will be wonderfull to spend the four days together without having to travellong distances home to attend work.
Helen Dowling
I am Helen Dowling I live and work in Goulburn, My Grandma and poppy live out in Dalton they help raise me and my brother Peter.My poppy is now sick and at EASTER I like to go home and be with them for I do not know howlong he has left, from one week to another.
Jane Curry
I am a single parent, now that my children are older I am able and fortunate enough to have a full time job in the retail industry which I love.
However this means although I am now able to support my family without government assistance, I do not have a lot of time to be with my childrenand just enjoy life.
Public holidays give me and my children the opportunity to "be a family". The 4 day break at Easter means we can travel out of Canberra and spendtime together relaxing and having a little break away from work, shcool & the routine.
Deborah Schollenberger
I believe that with all the extended families, seperated families with children and families with different nationalities in our society, Public Holidays at Xmas time should be a non working day for everyone.
This allows time for everyone to be able to spend + share quality time over the festive period with their loved ones.
No one this way will be disadvantaged.
Anonymous
Retail staff have familys too and it feels that this is forgotten when public holidays come around as all other families are arranging to go a meet up. Example is Boxing Day. Since I have been married I spend Christmas day with one side of my family then Boxing day I spend with the other side. Since I have been in retail we have had to rush lunch then go to dinner at the side.
I also believe Anzac Day should be full day public holiday purley our of respect for the lives that we lost and to say thank you for all we have grown to take for granted.
Anonymous
Public holidays, in particular Easter is an exellent time to get together with my family. We all have our individual families to deal with but over Easter because of the 4 day break it five me an opportunity to get together with my siblings who also work in retail & their families.
Without thie time off a get together of such large numbers is extremely difficult to organise.
Sandra Tumit
At my age family is very important and Easter holidays and Christmas Day and Boxing Day are very precious as I have these days with all my children, daughters in law and all my grandchildren together. This is a time to reflect and make plans to travel and see them at other times as well.
Anonymous
My husband works Monday to Friday, I have a reenage daughter who work casual in the retail sector as well as myself. Without the 4.5 days of public holiday volunteer rule we would be a splintered family. We need the right to refuse to work on these days to ensure the family unit is secure.
During the year I work Saturdays, my husband Monday to Friday and my daughter Sundays. This time at Easter is our only opportunity that provides and protects our rights to be a family.
Anonymous
As I usually work on the weekend and I usually have to juggle betweeen church and then work straight after church. never have to have fellowship with my church members. And always missing out they does for the long weekend to celebrate Easter.
But wtith the Easter Sunday OFF me and family can spend time together with church member and we can planned ahead on what we're going to do. Eg: Drive out to Port Stephen.
So, if we know that its a national public holiday we can always plan ahead on what we're going to do on the next public holiday.
Anonymous
I have a son who got CP cerebal palsy who needs alot of care. having a holiday specialy Easter which he love i could take him to easter show and also i can spend time with my whole family when we have B.B.Q. Public holidays is the only time family can spend time together.
Carolyn Colls
I have has six children, even though my elder son is 23 yrs old. Last Easter was the only easter ive had with all my family and children for 15 years.
It was awesome. I want this all the time and extremely special for all of us.
Anonymous
Easter Sunday is an important day for many people especially for spending time with family!
Over the years we as a family at home have spent many easters not as a whole which was upseting not being able to enjoy time together & enjoying the day! It's also a religious day that like for many want to spend it with family.
Sandra Young
Christmas is important to me as it is the only time the whole family can be together without someone working. Boxing day should remain a public holiday to give people a choice to be able to be home with family.
Jenny Drabble
I am at retiring age and have worked all my life. I have a famiyl and now watch my frandchildren growing up. We have all played sport and any public holiday was gratefully looked forward to to relax and spend the time with family and friiends. Its so disappointing to see the public holidays being erroded.
Being closed one day (Easter Sunday) surely can't be too hard on the employers.
Judy Capovilla
My Easter Sunday is spent with a family get together but sadly in the past not all have been able to attend because of work committment but for the first time last year we had the whole family attend. it was a great day. It also has religious significance to my family attending mass together.
Anonymous
My family always gather at my house on Easte rSaturday each year. We all supply dishes of food & I cook all the meat. If I had to work it would be disappointing for everyone especially the children.
Cheryl Chapman
My life is my children & my grandchildren and work. I feel that time is very important to me as far as working in retail the rosters for holidays such as Easter Sunday and other Holidays (Public or other) Every one is intitled to have holidays off with their familys.
Shirlene Parsons
I have a 10 year old "special needs" child and it is near impossible to get care for him on public holidays. This impacts my state of mind when public holidays are approaching and also increases the anxiety levels for my son. Pressure to work on public holidays makes our lives unsettled to an almost unbearable degree. I am a single mother and have no immediate family able to assist.
Susan Lamplugh
I have worked every weekend for 7 yrs , the store I work in is only closed for 3.5 day's a year , people have 361.5 day's to shop , surely that is enough & if it isn't I would suggest they have a problem . Here we have a Government wanting to take these Public Holiday's away from us , from our families & our community & our society . Shopping is not a life or death situation , I cannot understand why this Government would tamper with these special day's , have you no shame ? I bet the retailers & yourself who want to take this away won't be working on these day's , so why should you expect us to . Hang you heads in shame for you are truly shameful if this goes a head . Susan
Anonymous
I asked yesterday if Easter Saturday was a public holiday, I was told no. So I checked to find out that it is. I politely explained that I would like to take that public holiday and was answered with, have you given enough notice? The last public holiday I turned up at 5.30 in the morning for I was told I wasn't supposed to be there as I had been given the day off. Its very confusing when there is no communication, and when you DO ask for a P/H day off, to spend quality time with family, you are almost made to feel guilty. Public Holidays should be just that, Public Holidays. I for one don't want to loose the precious time I have with my family.
Rosalind Avellino
I worked in Hospitality for almost 10 years and the normal shift work is hard enough - early mornings, late nights, back-to-back shifts, weekends.... they all severely inhibited me from having a life outside of my job. The public holidays were meant to be voluntary, but if not enough people volunteered then the rest of the staff would be under pressure to take a shift so that our co-workers wouldn't be doing more than they could handle. We were a tight-knit group and we tried to help each other out, which often meant sacrificing time with our families to work on days when we really should have been closed. Things like Easter Weekend and Christmas were designated public holidays so people COULD spend time with their families, so EVERYONE should be entitled to that time off without pressure from their employers to go to work and make them rich. I can guarantee you the bosses aren't the ones working public holidays! I once had to spend the entire Christmas Day driving around in a rush to visit all my family members because I couldn't take Christmas Eve or Boxing Day off work. I'm so glad I'm now in a 9-5 job where I am able to relax when I leave work and enjoy that time with my family and friends. There is absolutely no need for business trading hours to be extended EVEN FURTHER! The commercialism has gone too far and is inhibiting people's personal lives, which is counterproductive for everyone in the long term.
Anne Barnes
I work full-time in retail and in my free time, I enjoy outdoor activities like diving and four-wheel driving. I actively participate in activities arranged by a 4WD Club. These activities take place on weekends, especially long weekends when we can get the whole family together and take part. In previous years we have taken part in activities that have been run over the Easter 4-day weekend as well. I am aware of the State Governments plans to review the Shop Trading Act. This is of great concern to me and my co-workers as we have heard that the government is considering allowing stores to trade on Easter Sunday. The Easter break is very important to all of us, as it gives us the opportunity to spend time with our families, visit extended family in country areas, as well as to join community and outdoor events such as those organised by 4WD Clubs. I know that if my store is allowed to trade on Easter Sunday, I will be placed under severe and intense pressure to work on these important community days, and to give up the time I spend with my family, participating in outdoor activities. The SDA fought to have Easter Sunday recognised as a public holiday and to have the Retail Trading Act improved to ensure that work on Easter Sunday and the other three and half non-trading days (shops are only closed for 4 ½ days a year!) would be voluntary in those areas where stores are allowed to trade, but we all know how hard it can be to say no to your boss when under pressure. If our store is allowed to open, they will find a way to make us work! The way to protect us and our community and family time is to keep the stores closed on these days. I trust that retail workers (and there are so many of us!), especially those that enjoy the great outdoors, can rely upon our politicians to protect our right to enjoy the benefits of public holidays, by opposing any proposed changes to public holidays and the Shop Trading Act.
Nathan Sawyer - Keeping in touch with extended family is important
"The public holidays help me keep in touch with extended family and friends. Working mon-fri leaves little time to fit general chores let alone time just to relax. The extra days break just makes it that much easier."
Anonymous - Pressure to work on public holidays is already intense ...
"Public holidays are meant to be voluntary, so when you say you are unavailable why does the company ask you to work? They tell you there is no one to cover your shift and you don't want to say no because you feel like you're letting them down."
Rachel Lowenstein - Getting away for the Easter long weekend
"I live in a town in North Coast of NSW. My husband works Monday-Friday every week. I have 3 children. I work now 2 days a week due to the ages of my children. I have always worked on a Sunday. As I work Sunday there was a lot of strain on my family over the 4 day Easter holiday as it restrained me and my family from going away over the 4 day period - all of our family is in Sydney."
