Muslims want Islamic holidays recognised

12:18 AEST Sat Sep 12 2009

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Keysar Trad says shop owners should recognise Muslim-orientated public holidays. (AAP)

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A leading Muslim spokesman has criticised new NSW laws that enshrine the rights of staff to refuse to work on Christian-orientated public holidays.

Do you agree with the new public holiday laws? See what ninemsn readers had to say.

The state government is banning most shops from opening on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Easter Sunday and Good Friday unless their owners can prove compelling demand from the local community.

Shops will also only be able to open for half a day on ANZAC day.

The new law prevents shop owners forcing staff to work on those days.

Sydney-based Muslim community spokesman Keysar Trad said workers of all faiths were entitled to a break and called for the two main Muslim public holidays to be recognised as well.

"It does give the impression that we are a solely Christian nation and it raises the issue of other religions too, whether you are Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim," he told AAP on Saturday.

"I know Muslim workers face problems asking for their public holidays off work at the moment.

"There are only two Muslim public holidays, so it is not a lot to ask."

He cited the example of Lebanon where Christian and Muslim public holidays are widely celebrated by members of both faiths.

"Productivity in Lebanon has not been hurt by the way they do things. Celebrating other faith's public holidays, actually, is excellent for community relations."

Shops in Sydney CBD, Newcastle CBD and in Cabramatta are exempt from the new law, as are small businesses.

NSW Minister for Industrial Relations John Hatzistergos introduced the legislation to Parliament on Friday in a bid to allow shop workers to spend the major Christian public holidays with their families.

A spokesman for Mr Hatzistergos admitted the days involved were Christian-orientated, but said the new law, which is supported by opposition ministers, was not about religion.

"It's about allowing workers to spend time with their families," he told AAP.

"It's not about enshrining something for religious reasons, it's about protecting workers rights."

The law has been applauded by unions, some major retailers and veteran groups.

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User comments

If people wish to live in Australia then they should respect our public holidays. If we moved to their country do you think that they would let us chose what days we want as public holidays. I respect everyones religion but enough is enough. Some people that have moved here are trying to turn Australia into where they moved from ie Muslim. Stop trying to change Australia it is aready a great place to live and if you didn't agree you wouldn't be here.

We live in a backward country. As it is, late night shopping is restricted to one night. Many people would like to take advantage of Boxing Day to shop and they can in every other first world nation. And for the Minister to say the restriction isn't religion-guided is nonsense. Then why is it on these particular Christian holidays that "workers need to be protected". Why not on Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur? Give me a break!

definitely NO....Their on one big holiday as it is,if they want to be different from the rest of australia--go home!! Its time ozz spoke out loud & clear regarding these DISENTERS disrupters of the flow of peace we have enjoyed for many decades. Battles have been fought & our land secured, so buzz off all those who cause desension & unrest. I agree that they new they were coming to a so called Christian country....so tell them to settle down & go with the flow......or shut up & pack up.

The decision to close business to allow people to spend more time with their families is a great idea, and it would be lovely for the government to extend the decision to involve the other major holidays of all religions. I see no reason for others to get angry. Lastly a note to those who believe people should consider the majority of Australian citizens being christian, and that should be considered before others migrate here, well my friends alot of those wtih different faiths were BORN here, Australia is apart of who they are as much as everybody else. Gold bless this beautiful multicultural country. Take care..

It is up to migrants to adapt to Australian culture - not for Australians to adapt to migrant demands. They would never allow Westerners the freedoms we have already allowed migrants. If migrants don't like our culture, then they should move to a country which allows their way of life which is totally foreign to ours.

Why oh why do we continue to give value air-time to Mr Trad ? Fact - the granting of Muslim Public Holidays would make it more difficult for Muslims to secure employment, something society can ill-afford. Businesses would shy away from employing Muslims, due to their propensity to take "alternate" days off. Of course, this would be wonderful for Mr Trad, as it'd just give him yet another cause to whinge to the press.

I dont see this as a religious issue. The fact is, Australia is predominantly a christian community and they are the holidays that we recognise. The issue is that we dont need all the shopping hours that we have now. I think its a great idea to force stores not to make people work at those times. Regardless of whether the staff are christian or not they still have a break. Anzac day should have shops closed all day. What I would like to see is an across the board restriction on all business, not just retail. On a side note, I always have a laugh at how people rush out the day before a public holiday like the shops will never open again.

Australia is a christian country - we should follow their laws - there are too many people out there trying to change things and just to have an opinion. Look at Lebanon - how many religions there? and look how unsteady the country is. AUSTRALIA IS NOT A MUSLIM COUNTRY THUS IT SHOULD NOT BE RECOGNISED look what happened when Kevin Rudd said sorry to the aboriginals - the law suites started flowing it.. you could only imagine what would happen if you start giving power to other religions

Shops should open whenever they like now kowtow to religion or religious pressure put on state, local and federal governments. And yes I said HOLY days, that’s what they are. Australia is currently a Christian country and has been since inception. It shall remain that way until the minorities complain loud enough and we give in to them as they cry racist aussie pigs. It is the express plan written in their books to convert all nations to that of Islam. I don’t believe we should bow down to minorities anymore. Particularly Muslims. I have no doubt i will pigeon holed as a racist, I really don’t care. But i will if they continue on the path they are treading by DEMANDING more and more they will feel excluded, and get more abuse than any other nationality that has settled here. I hope hey just relax to the AUSSIE lifestyle and not inflict their religious rhetoric on our beautiful accommodating country. Don’t forget JIHAD works both ways.

So where do you draw the line? For all those who do not know, Christmas and Good Friday is not a public holiday in muslim countries even though there are christians living there. By the way, can I tell my boss that it is my BIRTHDAY and I want a day off to celebrate the most important day of my life with my family!!!

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