Part day public holiday - Coffs Harbour Gold Cup and possible Community Festival
Consultation has concluded
Consultation closed - We sought community feedback from 2 to 30 September 2022. This item was tabled at the 27 October 2022 Council meeting and Council resolved the following: "That the City applies for a part-day Local Event Day (12 noon to 5.30pm) on the first Thursday in August 2023 and 2024." for more information refer to the following media release: https://www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Newsroom/City-to-Apply-for-Part-day-Local-Event-Day.
Project Overview
The City of Coffs Harbour is seeking community feedback on the local part day public holiday for the annual Coffs Harbour Gold Cup which is held on the first Thursday in August.
To continue having an annual local public holiday, Council must apply to the State Government every two years to have it declared under the Public Holidays Act 2010. As part of this application, Council is required to carry out public consultation to consider the impacts, costs and benefits of declaring a local part day public holiday within the Local Government Area.
Traditionally, the City of Coffs Harbour has applied for a local public holiday for the annual Coffs Harbour Gold Cup, held the first Thursday in August. This public holiday starts at 12 noon and finishes at 5:30pm.
Under the Public Holidays Act 2010 local Councils are able to apply for either a ‘local public holiday’ or a ‘local event day.’ See differences below. Council has always applied for a local public holiday.
There are two parts to the submission.
- Seeks feedback on the benefits, costs and impacts related to the local part day public holiday for the Coffs Harbour Gold Cup.
- Seeks feedback on community support for a half day community festival to coincide with any proposed part day public holiday for the Coffs Harbour Gold Cup.
Differences between a Local Public Holiday and a Local Event Day explained:
Local public holiday
The public holiday provisions contained in the National Employment Standards of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) apply to local public holidays declared under the Public Holidays Act 2010. This means all employees whose place of work is within a local public holiday area will be entitled to be absent from work for the day or part day declared to be a public holiday. In addition, employees who work on the day or part day may have an entitlement to penalty rates under a relevant award or enterprise agreement.
Shops located within the designated local public holiday area are free to open without restriction. A bank located in the designated local public holiday area will be required to close during the declared public holiday hours unless the bank is exempted.
Local event day
A local event day does not automatically mean that employers in the particular locality are compelled to treat the day as a public holiday. Entitlements to paid leave or penalty rates on a local event day will only arise where agreed to at the workplace level, usually in the form of an enterprise agreement or by contract.
A local event day or part day does not preclude banks or shops located within the designated holiday area from opening or trading on the day.
