The Public Service Association (PSA) is not giving up on Lismore’s lost half day public holiday. Today, the PSA launched the Give us a Break campaign to bring back the Lismore Race Day holiday.

The half day holiday was axed late year by Lismore City Councillors, who voted not to continue with the September public holiday after debating it in a Council meeting.  

PSA Northern Regional Organiser Asren Pugh said the PSA is concerned about what the loss means for workers in the area.

“We are concerned about the loss of a public holiday across the Lismore area and the loss of the penalty rates that go with it,” he said. 

“The argument that scrapping the holiday is some sort of ethical stance against horse racing is a red herring.

“The race will still go ahead, the only thing to change is that local workers will lose their half-day holiday or their penalty rates.”

Mr Pugh said the PSA was not concerned about when the public holiday was – it could be on any day of the year, including as a public holiday for the Lismore Show. 

“Council can look at it,” he said. “But losing that injection of cash from penalty rates into the community is a big loss – that extra cash is then spent in the town.

“A public holiday is an important time for all local workers in the Lismore area – it gives the workers of Lismore a break. 

“Many people in our community are supporting people in bushfires and they deserve a break.”

Mr Pugh said the PSA was writing to all Lismore City councillors asking them to support a recission motion and overturn last year’s decision. 

He said the public holiday issue would return to the next Lismore City Council’s meeting on Tuesday, February 11, when councillors debate a motion to overturn the original decision.

“We will address Council at next Tuesday night’s council meeting about the issue,” he said. 

“We can get this holiday reinstated – but we need to demonstrate to councillors just how much it means to the Northern Rivers community.”

An online petition has been set up, and people can sign it by going to https://www.megaphone.org.au/p/saveourlismoreholiday.