Kiwi workers will just have to bite the bullet next year, over the loss of not one but TWO public holidays! It's already bad enough that New Zealand/Waitangi Day 2011 falls on Sunday, February 6th. It's what's called a non-transferable holiday, so that means no extra day off.
But suck-suck! In April for the first time in history, Anzac Day and Easter Monday fall on the same day! Anzac Day is another non-transferable holiday, which means another day off work is lost.
New Zealand has 11 public holidays legislated under the Holidays Act 2003, which can only be changed by an act of parliament. Some, like NZ/Waitangi Day and Anzac Day, are fixed, and others can be "Mondayised", such as when Christmas Day falls on a weekend (like this year) and the day off is transferred. 2010's Christmas Day holiday will be on Monday 27th and the Boxing Day holiday Tuesday 28th.
Unfortunately no sign of parliamentary generosity for the hard grafters of kiwiland: a spokesman for the Labour Minister says NZ/Waitangi Day won't be "Mondayised" and legislating for an extra day off at Easter is extremely unlikely.
The only consolation is that the Anzac Day-Easter Monday scenario won't occur again in our lifetimes (not until 2095)!
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