Melbourne boss gives employees two days off if they boycott Australia Day
A Melbourne boss has offered his staff an extra day of holidays if they choose to work January 26 in a bid to protest against Australia Day.
Ben Beath, co-founder of digital agency Loud & Clear, said changing the date is a step in mending a wound with Australia’s indigenous population that has been open far too long.
He said he expects the majority of his staff to take up the offer after more than 80 per cent did so last year.
“If they come into work on Australia Day we give them two days off, which most people are taking on the following Monday and Tuesday,” he told 3AW’s Tony Jones.
“People are coming into work on Jan 26 because they care about ‘change the date’ not because they get an extra day off.”
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He said as a private company, they had every right to make a political statement but refuted claims his staff was being pressured into working Australia Day.
“If people want to come into work, we feel like we should at least give them an extra day off for taking a stance,” he added.
Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge labelled the practice as nothing more than a “petty stunt”.
Australia Day is the single day of the year where the nation comes together to celebrate everything that is great about this country, including our indigenous heritage, including our British (settlement) and including our multicultural character,” he told The Australian.
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