Hundreds of retail, fast food, and warehouse workers converged on the New South Wales parliament on Tuesday to advocate for an additional public holiday in the state, arguing it would allow them more family time and boost community well-being.
Members of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) presented a petition with 10,000 signatures to Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis, proposing September 1 as a new public holiday. They highlighted that NSW currently has the fewest public holidays in Australia, with 11 days compared to Western Australia's 13, after WA legislated two new holidays this year.
"As everyone knows, retail work is not a Monday to Friday nine to five job," said South Coast retail worker Donna Tyrrell. "Most of our workers don't get to eat meals with their family at night time." SDA NSW Secretary Bernie Smith echoed the call for equal rights, stating, "We think a new public holiday at the beginning of spring will be a great time for our community to stop, to make memories instead of money."
Minister Cotsis, who attended the protest, indicated that the government would review public holidays. She noted that a new public holiday for Anzac Day had already been announced for 2026 and 2027. However, Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou expressed reservations, citing the financial impact on businesses that are already facing challenges.
Beyond the push for a holiday, the protest also highlighted concerns about workplace safety. Minister Cotsis announced that the government is preparing to introduce new legislation aimed at protecting retail workers from violence, intimidation, and harassment. The proposed Workplace Protection Orders would enable workers or business owners to seek court orders against individuals who assault staff. Violations of these orders could result in up to two years of imprisonment, a $5,500 fine, or both.
Retail worker Kirra-Lee Macqueen welcomed the proposed safety measures, recounting an incident where a customer allegedly threatened female staff. "The only time he left was when my male manager came up and confronted him," she said, adding that the individual continued to steal and threaten customers and workers. The new laws are intended to provide a legal recourse for such situations.