'A phone-call would have been nice': industry anger over extra holiday

The government has been accused of adding the holiday as an election year stunt.

Anzac Day will fall on a Saturday next year and the government last week announced both the Saturday and the Monday would be public holidays.

Australian Hotels Association ACT branch general manager Anthony Brierley said despite the decision having far-reaching consequences for employers, none were consulted.

"A phone call first would have been respectful," he said.

"It is curious that the ACT government feels it necessary to introduce a second ANZAC Day public holiday in an election year. The minister's publicly stated justification for aligning the ACT with Western Australia lacks credibility.

"It would be eminently more sensible to align our public holidays with New South Wales, the only jurisdiction with which we share a time zone, a border and a workforce."

The Pharmacy Guild ACT president Simon Blacker said the additional holiday meant the focus shifted from Anzac Day being a day of remembrance to a holiday.

"As an unfortunate consequence, pharmacies, as small business owners, will be required to pay staff penalty rates for both Saturday and Monday, and some will make the decision not to open the pharmacy on either or both days, leaving the community without medicines and professional care," he said.

Clubs ACT CEO Gwyn Rees said it was a kick in the guts for small clubs and family businesses.

"ACT Labor should be seeking to meaningfully engage with the business community but after 18 years maybe they've decided they don't need to," he said.

Employment Minister Suzanne Orr said the government had received a lot of feedback in 2015 when Anzac Day fell on a Saturday and an additional public holiday was not granted.

"The government made this decision based on what Canberrans clearly expressed at that time, and it is clear that this decision will benefit working Canberrans," she said.

"Announcing the decision quickly provided certainty for industry groups, businesses and non-government schools and gives them an opportunity to prepare."