The Queensland government will compensate Christmas Eve workers for lost penalty rates by planning to make December 24 a public holiday after 6pm.

August 4, 2019

Queenslanders working on Christmas Eve are set to be compensated for lost penalty rates if the Palaszczuk government has its way.

It’s planning to make December 24 a public holiday after 6pm to ensure people who work that night receive a pay loading on their standard wage.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says her government can’t restore lost weekend penalty rates removed by the federal government for workers.

“(But) we can at least do the right thing for people working on Christmas Eve,” she said in a statement on Sunday.

Ms Palaszczuk said if the changes are adopted, a hospitality industry employee working on Christmas Eve night would receive about $146 more in their pay.

The change would also give workers the right to have the evening off as a public holiday, just as they do for Christmas Day, she said.

“Many Queenslanders though, do have to work Christmas Eve and the change would ensure proper compensation for them,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The change may not please everyone, however.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace says if the change is adopted, restaurants would be able to charge customers a public holiday surcharge on Christmas Eve.

Many businesses are already forced to pay higher rates to attract workers on Christmas, so this will allow them to pass on some of those extra costs, she said.

“Queensland would be the third Australian jurisdiction to implement this measure, with South Australia and the Northern Territory making similar changes in 2012 and 2016 respectively,” she said.

Ms Grace said the government hopes to introduce the legislative change in time for Christmas Eve 2019.

Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington said the changes could lead to higher prices, job loses and store closures.

“Shops will have to close if they can’t afford to pay the wages … if businesses have to close that will mean jobs and higher prices,” she said.

A five-month public consultation period will close on September 2.