Marilyn and I got up early this morning, intending to pop up to Launceston to sort out a bit of business. Of course, I was ready first; I was browsing the Internet and noticed that today is a public holiday so no offices are open. What a pain in the neck; there's no point in driving all that way if we can't do what we plan.
The public holiday which has ruined all our plans is Labour Day, and I ask myself, why do we think it appropriate to damage our economy by giving all workers a paid excuse to stay in bed for the day. The same question must be asked of Queen's Birthday and Easter Monday and the Tuesday after Christmas Day if it falls on a Sunday, and (in Northern Tasmania) Recreation Day and Launceston Show Day and Launceston Cup Day. Are we mad, giving everyone a paid holiday because of a tin-pot horse race?
It's about time we rationalised our holiday system so they reflect our modern society. And, while we're at it, work out what we are trying to celebrate on Australia Day and pick a date which includes all of our population. The colonial idea of expecting the subject people to fall into line with the wishes of their colonial masters has long gone.
So we have a new government in Western Australia. God help them. There's no way they can get it right, trying to balance the demands of every pressure group and mouthy individual with access to a microphone. I suppose having a new government keeps the media amused and give them another bone to gnaw. Was it Jo Bjelke-Peteresen who used to talk about 'feeding the chooks'?
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