Anthony Albanese explains timing of Queen’s National Day of Mourning

Anthony Albanese has defended the sudden announcement of next week’s public holiday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, as leading health officials warn of the impact it could have on the country’s struggling health system.

The Prime Minister announced on Sunday the National Day of Mourning would be held on Thursday, September 22 to remember the late monarch.

The announcement has left many parents, schools and businesses scrambling in response.

Employers will have to pay public holiday rates to their employees, while essential services workers with children are trying to figure out what they will do now that schools are closed for the day.

But Mr Albanese said as much notice as possible was given for the “one-off occasion”.

“Those issues will be worked through with the states and territories,” he told Sunrise on Monday.

“Essential services do open on public holidays and it is the case that penalty rates apply on public holidays. This is a one-off occasion, this is historic.

“That‘s the very nature of what is a once-in-a-lifetime event and therefore we gave as much notice as possible, which is why I spoke to the premiers and chief ministers on Saturday and why we made the announcement on Sunday.”

But numerous health practitioners have hit out at the move over fears to could leave clinics and hospitals short staffed.

“Operations and lots of patient consultations booked that day, at a time when access is difficult. Thanks for dropping this at short notice,” Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson said in response to the announcement.

“It’s very difficult to staff hospitals and practices at the best of times now. An unanticipated public holiday will make it very difficult to staff hospitals and clinics.”

Melbourne-based ENT specialist Dr Eric Levi said there were other ways to honour the Queen that would not put the healthcare system under the pump.

“We don’t need another public holiday. We can honour a person in a hundred other ways,” he said.

“We want to continue to work to deliver medical care to people who are booked to receive them. Health care is so overstretched right now that cancelling and reshuffling creates a ripple of mess.

“Imagine if your chemotherapy was meant to be delivered that day and now there are not enough doctors and nurses in the clinic as they have to be home with their kids because schools and childcare is closed.

“Imagine if your c-section was booked for that day. Now it has to be postponed as elective theatres are closed due to no budget for staff public holiday award rate.”

Questions have also been raised over the date of the public holiday, as it will land one day before the end of the work week.

But Mr Albanese explained the timing of the holiday was part of protocol, as the national memorial service is the day after the Prime Minister and Governor-General return from the UK to Australia.

Mr Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley will fly out to London in the coming days and are due to arrive back in the country on September 21.

“This is a matter of protocol that I discussed with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet but also with all of the state premiers and chief ministers,” he told Sunrise on Monday.

“It is a part of the protocol that‘s been in place for a long period of time that the national memorial service would be held the day after the Governor-General and myself returned from London.

“We will return next Wednesday night, so the national memorial service will be here in the great hall of Parliament House on Thursday and we regarded it as appropriate that this be observed as a national day of mourning.”

Mr Albanese said he hoped to see events all over the country on September 22 to reflect the impact the Queen had on local and rural communities.

“The National Day of Mourning provides an opportunity for local government, for example, to organise events in their local communities,” he said.

“One of the things about the Queen is that on her first visit, she was here for almost 60 days and visited almost 60 cities and towns during that period.

“She was someone who didn’t just go to Sydney and Melbourne, she went to regional communities, remote communities, and had an engagement with them.

“That’s why I think it is appropriate that local communities organise commemorative events as well as the national memorial service that will take place at 11am on Thursday 22.”

The timing of Thursday’s National Day of Mourning means Victorians will get a mega four-day long weekend, as Friday, September 23 is also a public holiday for the AFL grand final.

Some accused Mr Albanese of conspiring with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to grant the public a long break during a state election year, while others quickly made light off the assertion.

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral in the early hours of Friday AEST. Mr Albanese and Mr Hurley will travel to London on Thursday to attend the Queen’s funeral and to meet with King Charles III.

Mr Albanese said he would express the country’s “heartfelt grief” to the King when they do meet.

“We’ll be meeting the King over the weekend,” he told Sky News on Monday.

“I’ll express the heartfelt grief that Australians are feeling but also the gratitude that Australians have for the service of Her Majesty.

“But also of course, King Charles has very strong links with Australia. He studied here as a student. He has visited here many times and he’s very familiar with our great nation as part of the commonwealth.”

Mr Albanese did not say whether he had a gift for King Charles.