Labour Day returns to rightful and historical date in 2016

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt says the Palaszczuk Government will honour a key election commitment by returning Labour Day to the first Monday in May starting in 2016.

Mr Pitt said the government would also support events being planned for next year to mark the 125^th anniversary of the nationally-significant 1891 Shearer’s Strike and first Labour Day held in May in Queensland.

"We will be reversing the LNP's arrogant decision to shift Labour Day to October and from next year we will return it to its rightful, historical place in the calendar in May,” Mr Pitt said.

"I have discussed this change with business and industry, unions, and others and the government has taken their views on board in coming to its decision.

“This decision honours our election commitment while also delivering certainty and stability for everyone.

“From 2016, Labour Day will be celebrated on the first Monday in May and the Queen’s Birthday public holiday on the first Monday in October.

“This gives a better spread of public holidays across the calendar and fulfils our pledge to honour the rightful date for Labour Day in Queensland.

“We will also be supporting plans for next year to mark the 125^th anniversary of the first Labour Day in May in Queensland held in 1891.”

Mr Pitt said shifting Labour Day for no reason was just one of a string of arrogant decisions by the worst Attorney-General in the state's history, Jarrod Bleijie.

"Jarrod Bleijie’s bungles helped destroy the Newman Government, yet he was allowed to run rampant because others in the LNP like Lawrence Springborg, John-Paul Langbroek, Tim Nicholls, and Jeff Seeney gave their 100% backing to his brand of arrogance," he said.

"They also backed Jarrod Bleijie's attacks on our successful worker's compensation scheme that saw him tilt the playing field against injured workers and in favour of negligent employers by winding back the legal rights of workers under the scheme.

"Like the shift of the Labour Day holidays, the erosion of rights for injured workers were never justified and will also be reversed by the Palaszczuk Government."

Mr Pitt said Labour Day in Queensland had been commemorated in May since 1891 and was a chance for Queenslanders to honour those who struggled to secure fair wages and working conditions including workplace health and safety provisions, an eight-hour working day and the principle of a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work for both men and women.

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