Livid with his State Government’s failure to replicate Victoria’s AFL Grand Final Friday public holiday, Hugh Honey is threatening to move south of the border if New South Wales does not introduce a similar public holiday. 

The Victorian public holiday – introduced by Premier Daniel Andrews in 2015 as a win-at-all-costs election promise – is one of the most unusual public holidays on the global calendar, right around the one where Victorians take the day off for a 3 minute horse race on the first Tuesday of each November. 

While these public holidays are enjoyed by Melbourne residents, Honey thinks the time is right for New South Wales to concede victory to Victoria and declare their own public holiday on the Monday immediately after the NRL Grand Final played on the first Sunday night of October. 

“If the Government is serious about growing support for NRL in the State, we need people watching the game and enjoying it to the best of their ability,” said Honey.

“To know you have to go to work or go to school the next day is just the biggest bucket of cold water you can put on the event which is supposed to be the spectacle of our State.”

“It’s time we just admit the Victorians are our superiors, and follow their lead by declaring NRL Grand Final Monday a public holiday or risk more Sydney Siders moving to Melbourne and following AFL.” 

Victoria’s public holidays to celebrate their rich sporting history are estimated to cost approximately $1 billion in lost productivity for each day taken.