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Make Melbourne Cup Day a national public holiday

Mick Neven

by Mick Neven

01 Nov 05:55am

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Filed under: Culture, Horse Racing, Melbourne Cup, Public Holiday, Society, Sport, Tab

137 comments

On the first Tuesday of November, around three-ish, every fair-dinkum Australian gathers round for “The Race That Stops the Nation”. They show it in pubs, clubs, old-folks homes and school class-rooms. TABs fill up with people who couldn’t tell you the difference between a trifecta and a trilby, having their one bet for the year.

Last year's race was more like Bastille Day. Photo: Herald Sun

Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by racing experts who know all about form, breeding, lead-ups and how the raiders can’t handle the hard Aussie tracks.

In workplaces right around the country, people chuck in for $2 sweeps and agonise about drawing the 200-1 outsider with a name they can’t pronounce. And right around the country, in every state bar Victoria, work shuts down at 12.

That’s because in Victoria, they’ve had the sense to make Cup Day a public holiday already. A few years ago, when I lived in a regional Victorian town, it was only a Metro Melbourne public holiday.  On Cup Day we had the farcical situation of having to go to work, while people on the other side of the Bunyip river whooped it up with a day off.

Not that it mattered. We only had to show up, get the nod from the boss, then take off for Flemington, or whatever Cup Day Function we’d booked in for. Then the State Government woke up and made it a statewide Public Holiday, which was really just shutting the gate after the thoroughbreds had bolted.

The same situation occurs across the rest of the country now. Have you ever tried to do business on Cup Day after midday? Probably not, because you’ve already left work and started on your third glass of champers. 

But if you did try to do business on Cup Day, I can imagine it would be a fruitless exercise. Phones not answering, emails not being replied to. You’d be like Tom Hanks in Castaway, stuck in a deserted workplace, talking to your computer monitor for companionship. “Where has everybody gone, ViewSonic?”

Of course some people do work on Cup Day. In TABs, pubs and clubs, racetracks and function centres, the workers who make Cup Day happen are slaving away while the rest of us claim “Aussie Tradition” and clear out early. Surely they deserve Public Holiday wages. It’s un-Australian to work on Cup Day, and if you do have to work, it’s bloody un-Australian to get paid normal rates. Especially when the bosses are cashing in like it’s Christmas time.

So make it a National Public Holiday already! There’s no reason not to. You can’t say, “we’ve got too many public holidays on the calendar” because it’s a long time till Christmas Day.

And the economic cost of the public holiday was absorbed years ago. It won’t cost the economy anything because it’s already a de facto day off. So pop the question, do the deed and formalize Melbourne Cup Day as a National Public Holiday.

And if anyone wants to make those tired old comments about Cup Day being “just another excuse for Aussie’s to booze up, get drunk, gamble too much and walk home holding their shoes”, piss off!

We’re not interested. You have a nice day at work on November 1. The rest of us will be at the races having a good time.

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137 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Mahhrat says:

      05:45am | 01/11/11

      We already have 13 public holidays amongst Federal, State and Local.

      I’m all for another day off, of course, but against the importance of ANZAC Day, Easter, Christmas and the Queen’s Birthday…wait.

      Reply

    • Badonavich says:

      10:34am | 01/11/11

      I say scrap the Queens bday public hol in favour for the Melb Cup. NO-ONE celebrates the Queens bday. But Most aussies celebrate Melb Cup.

    • cybacaT says:

      01:49pm | 01/11/11

      I’ll back scrapping the Queen’s birthday in favour of a Melbourne Cup Public Holiday.  It’s much more Australian, means something and gets the whole nation involved.  Let’s make it happen!

    • Auckmed says:

      02:54pm | 01/11/11

      The objection to the public holiday isn’t because people have the day off. It’s because making it a public holiday means all the catering businesses need to pay their stay penalty rates. Think outside the bloody office box.

      And why object to an extra unofficial holiday?

    • Auckmed says:

      02:55pm | 01/11/11

      *staff, not stay

    • Frank says:

      06:43pm | 01/11/11

      I agree with the last person, Its a big yes from me, the day is a National Celebration.

    • Phil says:

      06:45pm | 01/11/11

      some of us keep working..who cares about some future pet food running around a track. In Brisbane today..women walking around thinking they were dressed uo..Oh how cheap most of them looked. After the race many were seen walking down the street with their shoes in hand..how cheap looking. Why would anyone bother?

    • IC-1101 says:

      07:11pm | 01/11/11

      @Auckmed the increased business for these said catering companies will make up any extra they’ll be paying their staff.  Most hotels in the city charge in the hundreds per head for Melbourne Cup lunches.  The market molds around the event and the demand.  I mean, really?  A catering company is going to suffer because it has more work than usual on a normal Tuesday?  If that’s the case, why hold a Christmas lunch if you have to “pay their staff penalty rates”.  Come on…

      More holidays please.  Blame the Carbon Tax.

    • Peter says:

      05:48am | 01/11/11

      Public holiday. Oh please I can’t wait to go to work today and get away from this very boring horse race. Try getting a life dopey. Nothing against horse racing but propose a public holiday is simply stupid but then again most of the media are too incompetent to find something important to report.

      Reply

    • ShamWow says:

      08:04am | 01/11/11

      @Peter wow mate, that’s a big bee in your bonnet this morning. I’m sure if you were having a BBQ with your family and friends instead of working you’d be in a better mood.

    • reid wright says:

      11:43am | 01/11/11

      i don’t believe in Jesus but i get christmas and easter off.
      Peter - If you’re going to try and provide an argument try fill it with more than just insults you imbecile.

    • Charlie says:

      06:18pm | 01/11/11

      Peter backed Red Cadeaux on the nose

    • Mike says:

      06:31pm | 01/11/11

      I totally agree, Peter.  Given the obscene amount of money already wasted on this damned horse race every year, there is no reason to waste yet more by messing everyone around with more wasted productivity.  The money would be far better spent on something worthwhile like more hospital staff or beds or something that will benefit the community as a whole

    • Sodapoppy says:

      06:45pm | 01/11/11

      If it wasn’t on TV no-one would watch it. If it was a public holiday there wouldn’t be an increase in crowds, once is enough for anyone.

    • sarah says:

      06:01am | 01/11/11

      We all work on cup day (I work for an emergency service in a state) - we stop for 5 minutes to watch the race on TV, then get back to work. That’s the way it’s always been for me.

      What galls me, though, is all the corporate schmoozing where private sector workers knock-off at 1130am and head to boozy lunches which run through to dinner - at the company’s expense of course - and then have the hide to whinge about “lazy public servants.”

      We’re not allowed to have any form of Melb Cup gathering, just in case the opposition finds out and embarrasses the minister in question time - “Why were employees of <emergency service> using public funds for a staff party instead of on equipment to help people in need?” etc. Same reason we’re not allowed to have Xmas functions, etc.

      Bah humbug.

      Reply

    • Al says:

      07:14am | 01/11/11

      Perhaps your department should do what mine does.
      Have the employees fund the Melb Cup gathering and/or Xmas functions.
      Then there is no issue with using public funds and you get to have a party.

    • sarah says:

      08:01am | 01/11/11

      Can’t be done - not allowed to be away from the job.

    • sarah says:

      08:13am | 01/11/11

      Yes, all “private sector” workers get to knock of at 1130am. Including, I’m sure all retail, hospitality, entertainment workers. Not. Get a grip. Most “private sector” workers I know will take 5 mins to watch the race and then get back to their work. Only people who work in offices that don’t service the general public do anything like that. Do what every private business does, ask the employees to contribute towards a christmas party. We raised nearly 10,000 last year in our social club.

    • JS says:

      09:45am | 01/11/11

      the name Sarah is hebrew for princess, and you are seriously living up to it aren’t you precious?

      I have never heard anyone begrudge the emergency services a christmas party or a Melbourne cup party. I always feel sorry for you guys that you always have to work public holidays looking out for us drunken idiots.

      When people dump on the public service they are dumping on the mps who are out on the piss when they should be fixing public transport, fixing roads and basically doing their job.

    • Melb cup - whats that? says:

      12:26pm | 01/11/11

      Yep - I work for the public service (federal call center) trust me - when people are talking about lazy public servants they are not just referring to mps and CEO’s. I’m constantly insulted for not working hard enough and being lazy, despite the fact that I take about 50 calls a day. Just the other day I got told ‘you don’t know what real hard work is’ by someone who hasn’t had a job in 8 years. have to buy our own pens and paper to do our job because its ‘not an efficient use of tax payers money’. apparently nothing is an efficient use of tax payers money unless its to prevent a workers comp claim - then you might get somewhere. Only reason I can come close to celebrating melb cup this yr is cause I’m on annual leave this week (hence being able to write this comment)

    • JS says:

      02:03pm | 01/11/11

      @Melb cup - whats that? - Do you work for Centrelink? I used to work with a guy who worked in their call centre, and i don’t know how he could stand it either, all those bogans. I would want to shoot myself in the head doing that job.

    • seniorcynic says:

      04:00pm | 01/11/11

      Years ago I worked for a hospital which shall remain nameless and staff department Xmas parties were banned so we used to have it in the mortuary where we knew the management would never go (well not when they were alive). Also there was a cool place for our drinks.

    • Spud Mack says:

      04:29pm | 01/11/11

      You mean to tell me that 50 calls a day (or 6 calls an hour, ie one every ten minutes) is working hard? I cant believe that you are complaining about one call every ten minutes. In this case, I back up the people that say you are not working hard enough and are lazy! Typical government employee

    • Ron E Coote says:

      06:25am | 01/11/11

      Yeah! Let’s have yet another holiday the bosses can pay for, all in the name of an industry that has as it’s basis, cruelty to animals. And let’s also not mention the fact that even the clean side of the racing industry is littered with “colorful” characters who might from time to time stretch the limits of the definition of the word, legal.
      Great idea!

      Reply

    • Eric says:

      08:43am | 01/11/11

      Why would you even post on sites like this? Do you get a high when people reply back to your stupid remarks? Is this what you want? Mr sarcastic (Ron E Coote) will be here all week to make pointless unverified remarks everyone!

    • Ron E Coote says:

      02:53pm | 01/11/11

      Oh Eric, would you like a cuddle?
      Since when were you appointed the arbiter of welcome posts?
      You sad, sad individual.

    • jimmy79 says:

      04:36pm | 01/11/11

      Cruelty to animals…Ok go for a drive into the country and see stick thin horses chewing on dead grass for miles on end. Or see the shiny coats of the fit and well looked after horses that race. Get off your ‘high horse’ as that is the real cruelty, a poor animal having to burden the weight of you, a king size tool.

    • Ron E Coote says:

      07:02pm | 01/11/11

      Jimmy 79. Is that your IQ? When you mean “country”, are you referring to the western suburbs of Brisbane where you live?
      Most of the “well looked after horses” you refer to are dead before they are five because they are too slow. Many of the rest develop ulcers because of their racing diet, and if they ever happen to break down as a result of their huge workload they are then sent off to the knackery. Only a few are ever given the royal treatment until they pop their clogs, because they happen to have won their owners a mozza, not out of the goodness of their hearts.
      Luck city horses, them ones, ay?

    • JImmy79 says:

      08:21pm | 01/11/11

      Are you a vegetarian too Ron? You just sound like a whinging, sad little man. Would love to know what industry you work in. You would certainly be a joy to work with. It is what they are bred for. If they weren’t bred for racing they would not exist at all. Who are you to say that the industry is built on cruelty to animals? Funny how much of a non-issue that is in society all around the world. But you do sound like the kind of guy who would put themselves above everybody else. If you don’t enjoy the Melbourne Cup or horse racing, don’t watch it, don’t read about it and don’t expect people to think that a day of celebration in the Australian sporting calendar is a celebration of cruelty towards animals because that is absurd.

    • Ron E Coote says:

      09:39pm | 02/11/11

      Jeez Jimmy, with all of that incredible insightful character assessment you seem to have forgotten to add anything of substance. No, there’s no cruelty in the racing industry. It’s and organisation just brimming with societal pillars, all selflessly seeking to further their contribution to the betterment of mankind. The thousands of horses that don’t win are all whisked off to a magical horsey planet where they can live out their charmed existences eating only the best grass, and rolling in the finest hay, dreaming of the benevolent masters who bred them to do just that.
      Of course I, a small, annoying vegetarian ( I must be because you apparently don’t like me) who works in what must be a book shop, or perhaps a health food store ( or is there an industry you find more annoying than those?), should keep my equally annoying opinions to myself because they obviously aren’t anywhere near as important (or righteous) as yours, or Eric’s.

    • Tayug says:

      06:33am | 01/11/11

      my understaning from my Melbourne office, is unless your at the races, you just use the public holiday to do what you want

      the cup is only popular in other states, because it is celebrated at work places, mothers groups etc, if it was public holiday say in NSW, 95% of the population would not care/watch it

      Reply

    • Rose says:

      09:05am | 01/11/11

      That’s the same as most public holidays, apart fro Xmas, New Years (hangover day) and Easter few really care about why we have a holiday, they just use the day to do what ever they like. Even Anzac Day is ignored by most, sure they may give a passing thought to the Diggers, but not many take the time to attend marches or services, they just spend the day doing whatever.
      I’m in my forties but have probably watched less than a dozen Melbourne Cups, not because I’m a wowser, but horse racing doesn’t interest me. Give me a good pub band and a few good mates and I’ll party along with the best of them, but horse racing bores me.The only times I have joined in is as you say, when I have been at work and it’s just an excuse for free food and drinks. Take away the workplace and I generally miss it, I’m not going to spend a day clock watching so I don’t miss a 5 minute horse race.

    • Rossco says:

      06:34am | 01/11/11

      Melbourne and their boring over hyped cup is not that important enough for me to want to have a public holiday for it.

      Reply

    • thatmosis says:

      06:43am | 01/11/11

      Its a bloody horse race for christ sake nothing more. Its gambling on a grand scale that seems to escape the attention of Wilkie and his ilk. Its boring and infantile. Get a life people there are more things in life more important than a bloody race.

      Reply

    • Eric says:

      08:49am | 01/11/11

      Telling people to get a life yet you find yourself sitting, where ever you might be, in front of a computer trying to convince us gambling is pointless…. That is pointless.

    • Nathan says:

      06:50am | 01/11/11

      Yes. Let’s make a public holiday out of a spectacle where drunken peacocks of both sexes wipe themselves out watching our tiniest morons climb on top of our biggest slave creatures to whip them in frothing circles. Definitely sounds like something of the utmost national importance.

      Reply

    • Alex says:

      08:01am | 01/11/11

      Well said. Stupid, stupid horse race. The only thing I enjoy about it is that the phone stops ringing and I can get some work done for a few hours.

    • Kirk says:

      07:06am | 01/11/11

      I’m happy for it not to be a public holiday… sure, if we had a holiday in Sydney, I might end up at a friend’s bbq, or just having a flutter with family - but the office experience is unique - the race still stops the nation.  We have the office sweep, a break around the time of the race to watch and have snacks, etc… we don’t get the whole day to bludge - maybe 15 to 30 minutes - but not everything needs a whole day off.

      Reply

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      07:52am | 01/11/11

      @Kirk.  I agree with you. We have a lot of fun where I am.  I get to dress up (which is always good), then we work through lunch.  At around 1:30 we jump in the taxis and head off to a nice hotel.  Then we gorge ourselves, drink far too much, flirt with people we are going to regret later, and even watch some horses go for a nice gallop.  Then back to that extra bottle of bubbly and home.  It is a fantastic day, and one we would lose if it were a holiday.  And for all the fun police, we do a lot of extra unpaid work anyway where I am, so there is no problem and the owner of the company is more than happy to foot the bill.  So, I am off to get someone to show me how to back a horse, no idea which horse, I just know it has to be something by Bart Cummings.  Have fun all of you!

    • michelle says:

      08:28am | 01/11/11

      have to agree with this- it is one of those really rare fun days in the office, where you have a good excuse for dressing up, slacking off and then you get rewarded with afternoon snacks and drinkies and bonus bragging rights if you win the office sweep. Most of my best memories at work, centre around Melbourne cup day.  It wouldn’t be the same if it was a public holiday- a sweep with just 2 people and the dog just doesn’t have the same feel to it.

    • SimpleSimon says:

      08:42am | 01/11/11

      @Babe in the Woods - Can I come and work with you? Would be nice to have a co-worker worth flirting with for a change.

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      08:53am | 01/11/11

      @SimpleSimon, I am going to assume that was meant at me and give you a big smile!!!  You made my day.  But if not, ah well, there are plenty of very nice people where I work.  Hence the problem after the cup day bubbly wears off!! grin

    • Steve Perry says:

      09:18am | 01/11/11

      @SimpleSimon - You can come and work with me.

      I have some staff working with me that would love the attention :-p

    • GlendaSings says:

      07:09am | 01/11/11

      We had one year here in Canberra where cup day was a public holiday, and it was a disaster! Lots of people had to stay home with their kids who were off school, instead of heading out to lunch with their workmates. I ran a sweep with the kids that involved Freddo Frogs, but it wasnt quite the same. The restaurants in the city centre that usually have a boom day with work lunches were silent and empty. Only those who headed out to the race track had a good day, and they probably would have taken leave that day and gone anyway.

      Much more fun to go to lunch with the work buddies, back to work for an hour or two then watch the race in a crowd around a tv!

      Reply

    • Anna C says:

      08:19am | 01/11/11

      Yeah lots of workers in the Sydney CBD seem to disappear to the pub for lunch about 12ish and don’t return. I doubt many people get a lot of work done today unless they work for emergency services.

    • Worried doctor says:

      07:17am | 01/11/11

      What juvenile trash! Under which rock did you find Mr Nevin? Does he work for the liquor factories? The first Tuesday of November leads smoothly into a drunken daze that takes a week out of our only sort-of productive year.

      Reply

    • Moonhawk says:

      07:30am | 01/11/11

      I’m happy to come to work on Melbourne Cup day. Can’t see the point of celebrating the race outside Melbourne, so why make it a national public holiday. I don’t participate in celebrations at work either - all that chicken and massed produced crappy salad is best avoided. So I purchase the odd sweep ticket & keep my head down for the day. I get so much more work done while colleagues are off eating bad food and getting mildy pissed.

      Reply

    • Tell It Like It Is says:

      07:31am | 01/11/11

      Well, that leaves me out. Guess I’m not a “fair-dinkum Aussie”. Which is not the worst news I’ll have today. But horses? They all look a bit mad with their black eyes too close together. Look too much like too many Labor politicians really.  But I’ll be that if some of them CAN talk, like, Mr Ed they would have a better and less embarrassing accent than our PM.

      Reply

    • Frank says:

      07:31am | 01/11/11

      LOL nice thought but its not going to happen, a couple years ago in the ACT we trialled a public holiday which lands on the Melb Cup weekend, Small Businesses started bitching and moaning about the loss in sales (although sales actually increased) and overwhelmingly forced the ACT Government to move the holiday and as such we had two public holidays in a row in the first two weeks of October and again ‘Small Businesses’ complained again…if they had their way we wouldnt have any public holidays.

      Reply

    • Darren says:

      07:33am | 01/11/11

      What for? So I can stay home and avoid it all together?

      Reply

    • Sharon says:

      07:34am | 01/11/11

      There are plenty of other ways to have fun without the need for the cruel exploitation of animals.

      I too once considered this once a year dress up, drink up, cough up, hook up, throw up extravaganza was a bit of harmless “fun”, and I know people in the racing industry. Until I opened my eyes, mind and conscience to the cruel realities (many hidden from public view) of it all.

      The overbreeding,
      The whipping,
      The stress on young bones,
      The regular confinement in small stalls
      The gastric ulcers,
      The Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage

      And when the profitability wanes
      for thousands each year
      the end is a brutal
      slaughterhouse death.

      Reply

    • Jane2 says:

      07:35am | 01/11/11

      It does not stop the nation, in fact it passes for most of us without realising it has run. No need for a public holiday.

      But if you are serious about trying to push for a nation wide holiday, start by making it a State wide one first. Its not a day off for anyone outside of Melbourne.

      Reply

    • SuziHB says:

      05:06pm | 01/11/11

      Have to agree. I don’t drink, smoke or gamble so The Melbourne Cup holds no fascination. Just an excuse for many who do drink and/or smoke and gamble to waste their money and make fools of themselves. IF every person who attended the Melbourne Cup and every person who gambles on the Melbourne Cup gave $10-$20 to an Australian charity of their choice, how wonderful that would be! A holiday… another Australian Public Holiday… is not needed for a Horse Race. My Mother died last Melbourne Cup Day :(

    • gobsmack says:

      07:44am | 01/11/11

      As someone observed yesterday:
      “Who needs a race that stops the nation when you have Alan Joyce.”
      Enjoying my day off here in Melbourne.

      Reply

    • ClayOfCanberra says:

      01:50pm | 01/11/11

      Awesome!!!! Best comment on here smile Have a few for me… Cause the ACT dont get the public holiday anymore :(

    • Chris_D says:

      07:47am | 01/11/11

      I can see arguments for and against, so why not meet halfway and knock off at midday?

      Reply

    • Bonestar says:

      07:49am | 01/11/11

      Only someone who was true blue would want a public holiday for the greatest horserace in the world. Bring it on! Only a scab wouldn’t.

      Reply

    • Someone who gives a shit! says:

      12:05pm | 01/11/11

      Only someone who’s a lazy-arsed bludger would want yet another public holiday! 

      Only workers who actually give a shit about their job and the company they work for wouldn’t!!

    • AFR says:

      12:05pm | 01/11/11

      Greatest Horse race in the world? There would be people at Ascot, Kentucky, Hong Kong and a bunch of other places who might disagree.

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      12:13pm | 01/11/11

      @AFR, but then again, why would an Australian care?  And besides, I can’t get all dressed up for the Kentucky Cup now, can I?

    • drecked says:

      07:55am | 01/11/11

      Don’t bother about a national holiday, tonight It probably won’t
      be the Melbourne Cup anymore anyway !
      être plus comme ce soir, la Coupe du Français, merci beaucoup et au revoir !

      Reply

    • SimpleSimon says:

      09:40am | 01/11/11

      So you’ve got money on Dunaden?

    • SimpleSimon says:

      03:45pm | 01/11/11

      Wish I’d got money on Dunaden….

    • Tony says:

      07:58am | 01/11/11

      I say ban horse racing altogether, starting with steeplechase. It’s just a racket to rip money off those who can least afford it and give it to those who already have too much. Tradition my backside, it’s a load of cruel fun for the rubbish owners and organisers.

      Reply

    • LauraBoBaura says:

      11:23am | 01/11/11

      Steeplechase is banned everywhere in Aus except Victoria I believe.. as for the ‘it’s just a racket to rip money off those who can least afford it’ nobody makes you have a punt, these people have a choice you know..

    • SuziHB says:

      05:25pm | 01/11/11

      Isn’t that the essence of gambling? Ripping money off those who can least afford it?

    • ShamWow says:

      08:00am | 01/11/11

      Far out…What a grump bunch on the punch this morning! A national public holiday for the race is a great idea and by the sounds of it, you could all use a day off. Please remember to smile, it tricks your brain into thinking your happy.

      Reply

    • powermax says:

      01:51pm | 01/11/11

      Hey come on ShamWow. I’m all for making it a public holiday but right after we recognise those other great Australian celebrations like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Kwanza Day can’t be too far behind.

    • Dave says:

      08:05am | 01/11/11

      A public holiday would be awesome…..but don’t expect me to be wasting it watching the race.

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      08:37am | 01/11/11

      Lighten up Dave- Melbourne Cup celebration is - fun- frivolous and joyous. You just got to feel sorry for grumps and miseries on Melbourne Cup day - but no let them wallow alone. I`m gonna have fun. fun.fun- a glass of Veuve,  chicken salad, form guide, a bet-  let the fun begin!

    • Sarah says:

      09:18am | 01/11/11

      How about you lighten up Joan. Not everybody is interested in the race.

    • Cup me Up says:

      08:11am | 01/11/11

      Real Melbournians take the Monday off as well…

      Reply

    • Realist says:

      08:45am | 01/11/11

      ^ bingo

    • LJ Dots says:

      09:22am | 01/11/11

      and Wednesday to recover.

    • Kaptain Killjoy says:

      08:15am | 01/11/11

      What’s this?
      People having fun?
      Not on my watch!!! We need to stop this drunken frivolity forthwith.
      I demand that people only like things that I like and only do things that I do. Anything else is but a waste of time for sad ignorant people.

      And you want a Public Holiday?
      pffft, you plebs will just waste it by having picnics and BBQ’s when you should be at work earning precious dollars to fund your withering retirement.

      Reply

    • centurion48 says:

      08:20am | 01/11/11

      Hardly an original idea and hardly worthy of serious consideration but you asked so ...
      If Melbourne Cup Day was moved to coincide with the Labour Day public holiday, and the date was standardised across Australia, then go for it. I couldn’t care less but at least we could get all the nonsense out of the way on a Monday instead of having a non-productive Monday followed by a stupid horserace on a Tuesday.
      And anyhow, how does a ‘sport’ like horseracing get to be even mildly important anyway. You might as well declare National Play the Pokies Day.

      Reply

    • Jackie says:

      08:21am | 01/11/11

      NO!! if its a public holiday the kids will be home from school & I will not be going to a lovely ladies lunch, I will be weeding the garden or running kids around to playdates!, Enough with the public holidays, when I worked we would always rotate the roster for today, if you worked it you often got xmas eve or NY day in exchange.

      Reply

    • Jess says:

      08:27am | 01/11/11

      It’s not a public holiday in Victoria. Only in Metro Melbourne.

      Reply

    • the hot tip says:

      08:27am | 01/11/11

      There’s seems to be a trend with the type of people who regularly comment on this site and that is negativity and whininess. Tall poppys!

      Reply

    • james says:

      08:30am | 01/11/11

      I would much rather shut everything down between christmas and new year so that I can enjoy the festive season with my family who work in retail and currently stuck with working. Leave the post christmas sale to after the new year, if you havn’t got that new dress or couch before christmas then I cant be that important that you can’t wait until the 2nd of Jan. Only the essentials should be open during that period and even they should be suitably compensated for loss in family time.

      Reply

    • Todd says:

      08:33am | 01/11/11

      Negativity on a grand scale about a public holiday coming from those of us chained to our computers and trying to have our say….bugger off the lot of you, I’m off now to a big boozy day and thank god I can spend my money on something that I enjoy rather than paying taxes to keep bloody immigrants in homes, booze and alcohol and rapists in three meals a day…Get over yourselves!!

      Reply

    • Cherry says:

      08:45am | 01/11/11

      The ACT Government introduced a public holiday a few years back to coincide with Cup Day. They called it ‘Family and Community Day’. People loved having the day off, and spent it at home or at mate’s houses (or whatever they usually do on random public holidays). However, the clubs & cafes were so unimpressed that they made a huge din about it with the ACT Government, because they were losing out on all the revenue they used to pull in on that day from workplaces holding events/lunches, etc. Family and Community Day has now been moved to October.

      I think there’d be a similar reaction across the country if Cup Day was made a national public holiday.

      Reply

    • julie says:

      08:46am | 01/11/11

      NO!!!!!!!  People look at the title - MELBOURNE CUP - not AUSTRALIA CUP.  no other horse race needs the whole day off!!!!!!!  workers take time out anyway to watch the race anyway.
      they tried it ONCE in ACT and called it Family Day. 
      NSW and ACT now have Family Day the week after the October long weekend.  more public holidays means less money when a person is only a contractor on an hourly rate - no work - no pay

      Reply

    • Wendy says:

      12:20pm | 01/11/11

      Wake up Julie.  There is no Family Day in NSW.  Labour Day…yes which makes the October Long Weekend but we don’t get another day.  Thats an ACT thing.  I would love to have Melbourne Cup off.

    • PatG says:

      08:54am | 01/11/11

      Cup day is the best day for doing work on computer networks during business hours. One of the few times no one cares if the network is down smile

      Reply

    • MichelleC says:

      09:44am | 01/11/11

      I’m with you, Pat - I know exactly what you mean =)

    • Sam says:

      09:04am | 01/11/11

      Its horses running around the track, they do it every weekend, Ive never understood the big deal.If the news and media didnt keep banging on about it I wouldnt even have to think about the Melbourne Cup.

      As mentioned here, its the MELBOURNE Cup not the AUSTRALIAN cup. Also I fail to see why a day that is spent gambling should be treated as a public holiday! Dont get me wrong I love public hols but I think they should be more pickie about what deserves a public hol.

      We always see people who love sports saying that these events are supposed to be the most important things in our lives, well Im not interested in a public holiday for a horse race, or a public holiday for some push bike rider who won the tour de France, or a public holiday for a swimmer etc etc etc, its all sport and its just not that important.

      Reply

    • Justin says:

      09:10am | 01/11/11

      Whats the Melbourne cup??

      Reply

    • Robert says:

      09:41am | 01/11/11

      It’s a horse race where bogans get dressed up and then go out and get trashed.

      Not really worthy of a holiday. Even less so when only one horse in the race is even Australian this year

    • Billy says:

      09:47am | 01/11/11

      It’s actually cap. It’s a thing they pass round to put donations in.

    • Susan says:

      09:25am | 01/11/11

      I am old enough to remember when Melbourne cup day was a public holiday years ago.  At that time I lived in Adelaide, and after a few years they (State Govt), decided to abandon Melbourne Cup and have Adelaide Cup day off instead.  I now live in Qld and we don’t get anything. 
      don’t know where you get the 13 days public hols a year from - we only have 10, so I wouldn’t mind another couple thanks.

      Reply

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      09:35am | 01/11/11

      Wow!  So many cranky people around today.  How sad.  :-(

      Reply

    • powermax says:

      01:58pm | 01/11/11

      Babe, Joan has the answer for all this crankiness. It’s because Ms Gillard rolled the people’s princess in a midnight palace coup.

      As for me? Need some movicol. I just know things will look much brighter after that.

    • Emily says:

      09:37am | 01/11/11

      A public holiday for animal exploitation and gambling…mmm really proud to be Australian..

      Reply

    • Len says:

      09:53am | 01/11/11

      You forgot binge drinking.

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      10:08am | 01/11/11

      And a chance to wear a great hat!

    • Jay says:

      10:40am | 01/11/11

      oi oi oi!

    • billy says:

      02:59pm | 01/11/11

      we have a long weekend for nailing someone to a cross

      so why not one day for horses

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      09:38am | 01/11/11

      OK, make it a National Public Holiday then…
      The SA can abolish themost ridiculous ” Adelaide Cup” Public Holiday.
      This stupid Public Holiday was introduced because some pathetic little people in SA , with inferiority complexes unmatched in the world,plus massive chips on one shouldes & a nasty, pathetic little green-eyed God of Jealousy on the other thought their silly little race could become a rival for the Melbourne Cup.
      At least the melbourne Cup does actually ” Stop the Nation”. Even the Federal parliament rearranges its schedule to fit in with it.

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      09:59am | 01/11/11

      A public holiday in Victoria for a horse race is already an embarrassment, imagine the international ridicule should such garbage go national.

      Reply

    • Trent says:

      10:16am | 01/11/11

      We don’t get the day off here in QLD, and I sorely miss being a native Victorian. Also in QLD our public holidays are stacked in the first half of the year. We need another late year holiday!

      Reply

    • Robert says:

      10:45am | 01/11/11

      You get Brisbane show day for the Ekka. Jeez there’s no pleasing some people

    • Pete says:

      10:53am | 01/11/11

      Isn’t thanksgiving coming up? If you do Halloween you must do thanksgiving.

    • Kate says:

      04:32pm | 01/11/11

      I think that’s the best thing about Cup Day! Victoria have most of their public holidays early in the year too, then you get a whole lot of nothing from June to November. I think NSW and SA both have a late-year one too.
      Personally, I haven’t actually watched a Melbourne Cup in about seven years but I do love the public holiday.

    • Jeff says:

      10:20am | 01/11/11

      I’ll happily take the public holiday, although I don’t agree that it should be one. Like atheists celebrating Christmas, or republicans celebrating the Queen’s Birthday. I hate gambling and especially horse racing, but I’m more than happy to go to the beach for the day so other people can enjoy it. I can imagine how many ‘sickies’ happen on the Monday beforehand.

      Reply

    • Tanya says:

      10:28am | 01/11/11

      This should be in The Festival of Obvious Ideas.

      Reply

    • Stephen says:

      10:35am | 01/11/11

      I heartily endorse this idea. In addition I would like to propose a public holiday for the AFL/NRL Grand Finals. The Formula 1 Grand Prix and Bathurst. I suppose the soccer grand final should have one as well. And basketball. The girls will probably want one for netball, and fair enough. Cricket will want 3 days per game. Per State.

      In return, I happily offer the ludicrous Labour Day holiday.

      Reply

    • Ricky says:

      10:42am | 01/11/11

      Who cares about a horse running around a track? Stupid tradition needs to stop as the horse race is just pathetic.

      Reply

    • Cynicised says:

      11:43am | 01/11/11

      Oh pish tosh It’s freakin fabulous! I’m incredibly proud of our tradition of so much interest in a 3 min staying horse race! It’s so Aussie, so egalitarian, so much bloody fun! All the wowsers should tell someone who cares!
      Yes, it should be national holiday!
      Off to a Cup Day BBQ now, have fun, whingers!

    • PaxUs says:

      11:53am | 01/11/11

      Yes, why not promote more gambling and drinking?  Many extra ‘social’ cigarettes and cigars are also smoked, adding value to Australia’s Future Fund that has investments within the Tobacco industry!  All that extra tax money from the splurging of punters will help fund Kevin’s next UN trip!

      Reply

    • Babe in the Woods says:

      12:15pm | 01/11/11

      Thanks for the tip!  I forgot to get a packet of Menthols for the day.  Off to the shop now.

    • Steve says:

      11:54am | 01/11/11

      ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’ is so pretentious. Does anyone, outside of Melbourne really even care?
      (duly noted that this article was written by someone from Melbourne)

      Reply

    • AFR says:

      12:02pm | 01/11/11

      Actrually, I would bet (pun intended) that Melburnians watch it less than those outside. They have the whole day to do something more useful.

    • Anon says:

      12:05pm | 01/11/11

      I don’t think we need a public holiday - we are much better to go to work on Melbourne Cup Day.

      Office sweeps, long lunch and boozy celebrations are great.

      A public holiday means a day at home enteratining the kids - NO THANKS.

      Reply

    • bella starkey says:

      12:39pm | 01/11/11

      This is true, I’d be pretty bummed out if my free feed from work was taken away. I think we should have a mayday holiday instead (because it falls on my birthday)

    • Phoebe says:

      01:03pm | 01/11/11

      BLOODY OATH MATE!

      Reply

    • Steve says:

      01:20pm | 01/11/11

      Where’d you get your info?  Its NOT a public holiday in Ballarat, or Bendigo, or Geelong….

      Reply

    • Xau says:

      01:32pm | 01/11/11

      Make a public holiday for horse race event? It’s really show how most of Australian are inefficient, lazy and small minded. Surely you have a more significant event that can be made a public holiday.

      Reply

    • Gerard says:

      07:00pm | 01/11/11

      I couldn’t agree more. I’m all for more public holidays, but how about one for something that actually matters, like the anniversary of the Eureka Stockade?

    • Katrina says:

      01:49pm | 01/11/11

      They tried the Public Holiday in the ACT for the past 3 years and nobody (repeat) NOBODY liked it because nobody did any cup sweeps, there was no time off work for culcatta etc.  Please dont do it, Melbourne Cup day is better at work, in work hours.

      Reply

    • Get back to work says:

      01:52pm | 01/11/11

      Sure, have the race - no holiday and limit the amount you can bet. I can really see that happening - NOT. All the hullabaloo about poker machines, yet we have a race that “stops the nation” The hypocricy is astounding.

      Reply

    • Q says:

      02:04pm | 01/11/11

      It is now 2pm (QLD) and the shopping centre is a ghost town - let’s make it a half day with closing at 1pm.

      Reply

    • Gaz says:

      02:21pm | 01/11/11

      Not everybody is interested in a stupid horse race !
      Hold it on a Saturday like the Grand National in the UK !
      Australia is already in financial strife without money being wasted on Melbourne Cup day !

      Reply

    • The Claw says:

      02:30pm | 01/11/11

      If Melbourne Cup day was a public holiday, I wouldn’t even know who won. Having everyone in the office gather around the TV, clutching their sweep tickets, is great fun. But without that social aspect - and given that I have less than zero interest in horse racing every other day of the year - it would just be a day off.

      Reply

    • quirky_bird says:

      02:34pm | 01/11/11

      I’m at work. So yeah… have a glass for me. xo

      Reply

    • jessica grove says:

      02:34pm | 01/11/11

      i complete agree with everything you saying mick, especially the lack of work completed aspect however i believe if it was a public holiday all the things that make the Melbourne cup special will be taken away. the whole idea as stopping everything that we are doing to watch a horse race, stopping our lives at all is so rare in our society which is why the Melbourne cup is so special.

      Reply

    • Soggy says:

      02:47pm | 01/11/11

      I have a better idea, move the race to Australia Day. At least we might get some decent weather!

      Reply

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      03:06pm | 01/11/11

      Let us just declare the whole year a Public Holiday! Then everyone will be satisfied!

      Reply

    • Jeff says:

      03:12pm | 01/11/11

      I like working on Melbourne Cup day as my work makes a fun day out of it. A public holiday on a Tuesday, what a waste. Leave it as it is. If it was a public holiday I would not bother watching the race, I would rather do something else on my public holiday.

      Reply

    • Susan says:

      03:55pm | 01/11/11

      The Brisbane Ekka is NOT a public holiday out of Brisbane - and i wouldn’t like to live there just so I could have one extra day off a year.  All that traffic and people - Ugh.  Nice enough to visit nowandthen, but not to stay.

      Reply

    • Bonb78 says:

      04:51pm | 01/11/11

      The Gold Coast does get that one right – they miss the Wednesday Ekka Holiday, but get a Friday off a couple of weeks later. Midweek public holidays are a waste of time!
      Queenslanders take their local show day off, in Victoria they get a Cup Day, in other states and territories Picnic Days. To those in Victoria who think the rest of us should fall into line with you - we just don’t like you enough.

    • Xar says:

      04:06pm | 01/11/11

      handly anyone really cares, it is just an excuse to frock up and get a bit tipsy at work while stuffing your face on chicken breadrolls and free nibblies. If it was a national holiday there wouldn’t be the fun of hoovering up free food and bubbles on the company dime!

      Reply

    • Kieran says:

      04:08pm | 01/11/11

      Melbourne cup breaks up a boring work day and usually gets me a free chicken lunch with drinks. I don’t care that much about the horse race but if I am at work then I go into the sweeps, get a chance to talk to people from the business that I dont usually get to speak with and share the experience. If it was a day off I would certainly not be at a race track or near a TV!

      Reply

    • just do it says:

      07:39pm | 01/11/11

      idiots, those above me who mention it being a bad idea, because its sport
      im not sure you realize this but we also have boxing day, a day dedicated to enjoying sports.
      the melborne cup, is big in australia on a social scale, and this is the only thing that should be annilized when making this desision. the fact you dont like it has nothing to do with it, i dont like the queen but i do respect the postion she plays in our society, just as people should the melbourne cup, if only for horses like makybe, phar lap, rainmaker, peter pan, archer, and the pride they gave to australian people(i am aware phar lap and rainmaker were kiwi, but so is rusty crowe).
      as for you animal rights activists, your activities when discusing this are misguided and uneducated (as per usual) maybe we should just let the horses run free, f$$k it lets let all the animals run free, good on you peta, point out the problem with the world but dont a give a logical solution
      and finally let me finish by saying that around 30% of the tax revenue in australia is contributed by gambling and although people might not like this it shows it is in the national psychie to have a punt, embrace it for one day a year, and stop being a social crusader and wowser

      Reply

    • Sheesh! says:

      09:59am | 02/11/11

      Never realised there were so many grumpy arses that inhabited The Punch. What’s wrong with people taking a day off to celebrate a day a lot of people derive great joy out of? It’s not just about the horse race you know. With all the bad sh*t going on in the world what’s wrong with 1 day for people to let their hair down. We’ll even change the name if it makes you happy as obviously the fact that it has Melbourne in the title gets a lot of you offside.

      Reply

    • Nug says:

      04:51pm | 02/11/11

      For mine one of the things that has made the Melb Cup so big in states other than Vic is that people come to work and talk about the race….if you give everyone the day off by way of public holiday I think people will take the opportunity to do normal family stuff like they would on other Public Holidays….go to beach, fish, bbqs etc….A large percentage of the population are not racegoers and lets face it, a big part of getting involved in sweeps and a once-a-year flutter is that it makes an otherwise normal day’s work a lot more fun. From a business owners perspective it’s a great chance to give staff a break, knowing the phones won’t be ringing and if they do and don’t get answered people know exactly why not….a great mutual understanding and one I would tread carefully around when this debate no doubt escalates to the federal landscape

      Reply
 
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