The NSW Government has announced a public holiday for Anzac Day on Monday, 27 April. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The NSW Government’s decision to grant a public holiday on the Monday following Anzac Day has been met by harsh criticism from veterans and business owners alike.
Premier Chris Minns announced last week that in 2026 and 2027, when Anzac Day falls on a Saturday and Sunday respectively, a public holiday will be held on the Monday to commemorate the day on which we remember our veterans.
Ian Lindgren, who served in the Australian Army from 1981 to 2002 and was chief of the IT division of the Australian Defence Force, said he was disappointed with the decision.
He said Anzac Day was a time of reflection and honouring service, and that having a public holiday on 27 April only encouraged drinking and gambling.
“Having a public holiday on the 27th diminishes the importance of Anzac Day,” he said.
“We don’t celebrate Christmas two days after the fact, so why are we doing so for a day of commemoration?
“Anzac Day commemorates what occurred at 4:30 am on 25 April, 1915. It’s not a day to commemorate through a public holiday on any day other than 25 April.”
Mr Lindgren said the importance and the history of Anzac Day needed to be preserved, and having a public holiday several days after 25 April only diluted what the day truly represented.
“I don’t want Anzac Day diluted the same way that Christmas Day has been, which is a day of religious significance but is more commercialised than anything else these days,” he said.
“If there’s a public holiday for Boxing Day on the weekend, they push that under the next working day. But that doesn’t have the national significance that Anzac Day does to us.
“The more that we move away from what it really means to Australians and how it’s shaped the nation and how it has affected almost every family in Australia at the time, the more we actually move away from what it should mean to Australians.”
Committee 4 Wagga president Scott Sanbrook said many Wagga businesses had contacted him expressing concerns about how the extra public holiday could add to the financial stress they were already experiencing.
“[We have] heard from the business community that the greatest concern with the additional public holiday is the extra costs with the penalty rates,” he said.
“Most Wagga businesses are being challenged by rises in operating costs without having unexpected financial pressures added to the equation.”
Despite the perspective of Mr Lindgren and many small businesses, Mr Minns said the announcement of the extra public holiday only reinforced the importance of Anzac Day.
“Adding a public holiday when Anzac Day falls on a weekend will not diminish that tradition,” he said.
“If anything, it is a reminder of its importance and another reason for people to get up, attend a local service and ensure the spirit of remembrance continues to be passed on to the next generation.
“Anzac Day on 25 April is one of the most important and solemn days on our national calendar, and that will not change.
“We have a tremendous amount of reverence for Anzac Day across our communities, especially among our veterans and their families.
“Each year, thousands of families rise before dawn, gather at local memorials, march alongside veterans and reflect on the service and sacrifice that shaped our nation.”
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Riverina.
