Public Holiday on Colac Show Day will remain
October 13, 2016
Chief Executive Officer Sue Wilkinson has clarified that the Colac Show public holiday will remain in place despite the event being cancelled, due to the requirements of the Public Holiday Act.
Ms Wilkinson said that under the Public Holiday Act, councils were required to give the Minister a minimum of 90 days notice to substitute a public holiday in lieu of Melbourne Cup Day.
"Council decided at the start of its term that Colac Show Day would be our local public holiday in lieu of Melbourne Cup Day, and each year it is gazetted as required under the Act," she said.
"Legally, we don't have time to change the public holiday."
However, Ms Wilkinson said the primary focus of having the public holiday on Colac Show Day was to ensure schoolchildren and their families could support one of the shire's most popular community events.
"We have always maintained that local businesses have the right to decide whether they close Colac Show day, Melbourne Cup Day or another day that's convenient to them and their clientele," she said.
"We know that businesses have different peaks and troughs, and as such we advise business owners to choose the day that best serves them."
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