New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has robustly defended his decision to grant an additional public holiday for Anzac Day, as reports emerge of frustration among other state leaders over the move.
With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday this year, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Western Australia will observe a substitute public holiday on Monday. However, the rest of the country will miss out on an extra day off, sparking a national debate.
Premiers Stand Firm Against Extra Holiday
A number of state premiers have rejected calls from their constituents to follow NSW’s lead, arguing that they do not want to dilute the solemnity of Anzac Day.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli emphasised the importance of keeping the day sacrosanct. Speaking on Sunrise on Friday, Minns countered that the decision was about aligning NSW with other states and dismissed suggestions it could undermine the day’s meaning.
“We’ve got 11 public holidays in NSW. The other states have 13. So we’re a couple down on every other jurisdiction,” Minns said. “With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday and then a Sunday for this year and next year, we decided that we should have another public holiday.”
Minns highlighted that the decision followed consultations with the NSW RSL, which supported the additional day and believed it would not detract from the significance of April 25.
South Australia and Tasmania Weigh In
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas backed the logic behind NSW’s decision but confirmed his state was not under pressure to follow suit. “I think the consistent principle here is that Anzac Day is the 25th of April and that’s the day we commemorate and, of course, acknowledge the sacrifice of all those men and women who gave up their lives literally in the name of the democracy that we value today in Australia,” he told Sunrise.
Malinauskas noted that South Australia already provides a substitute public holiday when Anzac Day falls on a Sunday, meaning South Australians will benefit from an extra day off next year.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff downplayed the divide between states, stressing the shared national focus on remembrance. “What we are all united on is quite clearly the significance of Anzac Day right across the country where we remember, we reflect, and we give gratitude to all those men and women who sacrificed their lives over various conflicts across the last hundred years and more,” he said.
Growing Attendance at Dawn Services
Despite differing approaches, all three leaders told Sunrise they were proud of the increasing attendance at dawn services, particularly among younger Australians. “The great thing I’ve seen in the last decade is the number of people attending those services has been swelling,” Minns said. “We thought that COVID might dampen enthusiasm for it. The opposite has happened.”
Minns encouraged all Australians to set their alarms early on Saturday and attend a local service. “I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t attended one of these dawn services that isn’t on cloud nine for the rest of the day. It’s a fantastic way of feeling like a proud Australian.”
