Choice on Oz Day fine: PM

ANTHONY Albanese says “it’s fine” to give workers – whether in the government or private sector – a choice about working Australia Day.

The Albanese government overturned the Morrison government’s short-lived ban on public servants working on January 26.

Employees can now opt for another day off if they do not want to take the public holiday.

The Prime Minister on Friday said giving workers the choice was about flexibility.

“It’s up to each of the departments, like it’s up to employers in other areas,” he said.

“So for some, employers are saying if you want to work Australia Day, you can have another day off.

“And I think that’s fine to have some flexibility in the system. I myself will have a very busy Australia Day. I have a full schedule, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Earlier this week, the government sought to downplay the move as any kind of political stunt, saying it instead reverted to how workplaces had operated on January 26 last year.

Shortly before the Morrison government entered caretaker mode in 2022, it changed the legislation that allowed public servants to substitute official public holidays for religious or cultural reasons.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher – whose portfolio encompasses the public service – earlier this week said Australia Day was a “great day” but that people had their reasons for wanting to substitute the public holiday.

The Coalition said the move was a “deliberate undermining” of the national day.

Many big businesses have announced their intention to give employers flexibility over the public holiday, with Telstra, Woolworths, BHP, KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young among those giving staff flexibility.

Mr Albanese said it was “between employers and their employees for discussion”.