Press Release

4 out of 10 kick up stink over Anzac Day long weekend ban: survey

April 21, 2009

FOUR out of 10 people feel ripped off that most Aussies will not have a public holiday next Monday to celebrate Anzac Day, according to a new survey.

More than 40 per cent of Aussie travellers believe that all workers should get 10 days of public holidays every year, stating that they shouldn’t be ‘taken away from us’.

The overwhelming response was from the latest survey by leading online travel marketplace, totaltravel.com, which attracted 1545 votes and asked the question: Do you think all states should get a long weekend by celebrating the Anzac Day public holiday on Monday, April 27?

This year, the Anzac Day public holiday will be celebrated this Saturday in all states except NT and ACT. As such, most people in Australia will only have a normal two-day weekend. In contrast, 54 per cent of people (844 votes) disagreed with having a public holiday on Monday, arguing Anzac Day was ‘about honouring the memory of our fallen soldiers, not taking days off from work’.

Three per cent (47 votes) said they didn’t care, ‘one way or the other’. totaltravel.com global marketing manager Paul Fisher said the survey topic had attracted some passionate responses from the online community. “People against having a long weekend felt strongly that Anzac Day was a day of ‘contemplation’, ‘respect’ and ‘thanking the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice’,” he said. “One reader described people supporting a long weekend as ‘selfish bastards’.

In contrast, he said one online voter wrote ‘....keeping the holiday boosts the economy- when else am I going to have time to go and spend my $900.00?’ **

Personally, Mr Fisher believed the Anzac Day public holiday should be held on Anzac Day on April 25, whether it fell on a weekday or on a weekend.

“We should remember the huge sacrifices our servicemen and women made to fight for our freedom. It’s a special day that shouldn’t be trivialised by people using it for their own self interests.” However, Mr Fisher said a long-weekend could have some merits, if approached in the right way.

“I think a long weekend would be one way to emphasise the importance of Anzac Day, giving people more time to reflect on, and appreciate, the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. Special Anzac Day services and events could be held over the three days.” The totaltravel.com survey was held over three weeks. **

A tax bonus payment made to Australians with a taxable income up to and including $80,000 under the Federal Government’s Economic Stimulus Package)

To view people’s comments on this month’s survey, please visit:

http://www.totaltravel.com.au/australia/poll/no-anzac-day-long-weekend/results

ENDS

Media enquires:
Paul Fisher
Global Marketing Manager
totaltravel.com
Phone +61 (0)2 6680-8755
Mobile 0404 057 367

About totaltravel.com
totaltravel.com was established in 2002 and is Australia’s leading online travel marketplace for travellers and travel suppliers. Travellers can research destinations, read the opinions of other travellers, find travel offers and then deal directly with travel suppliers to save money.