Throughout the year Australians have some pretty decent public holidays.
We get a day off work for Chrissy, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Easter, Anzac Day, Australia Day and then the other various state and territory specific days.
Well, it looks like Queensland could soon add another public holiday to its calendar if the state government has it's way.
The Palaszczuk government is hoping to install a new day off for Christmas Eve, however it would only be a quarter day off in reality.
The Premier wants to give people working past 6pm the right to penalty rates because, let's be honest, who wants to be pulling beers, slinging plates or dealing with hordes of last minute shoppers without some extra pay?
"It would ensure workers have the right to have Christmas Eve off as a public holiday just as they do for Christmas Day," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement.
"Many Queenslanders though do have to work Christmas Eve and the change would ensure proper compensation for them," Ms Palaszczuk said.
It's estimated someone on the minimum wage will be paid an extra $143 with penalty rates.
While there will be many employers who will not be happy about the change because of the extra cash they have to fork out, they will have the ability to charge customers a public holiday surcharge once the clock strikes 6pm.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said: "They'll be able to get a penalty rate - which has reduced - but they'll get a penalty rate for the public holiday under their federal awards and agreements.
"They'll also be able to - on a reasonable basis - say that they're not available to work and they'll be able to obtain that protection.
"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."
The state government is hoping if everyone is happy with the proposal then they'll be able to introduce the change for Christmas Eve this year.
Featured Image Credit: PA