Source : Perth Now news
Australians could be granted a week off if Australia wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has teased.
The Prime Minister delivered the keynote address at the Airport City Summit on Friday, where he playfully joked about giving the country a week off if the Socceroos won the World Cup.
When questioned by the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue Chair Christopher Brown about whether Australians will get a public holiday if they win against Egypt on Saturday, the Prime Minister presented his own strategy.
“The truth is that public holidays are completely determined by state governments,” he said.
“But I reckon if we win then we might give everyone a week.”
Some betting companies currently have the Socceroos at a 300 to 1 chance of winning the World Cup, according to UK based company Squawka.
Others have been less optimistic, scoring the national team at 500 to 1 odds to become the outright winners.
The Prime Minister discussed how his previous attempts to call a public holiday have been challenged by state government leaders.
“How do I know that? Because I declared a public holiday unilaterally when Queen Elizabeth passed away, and the State Governments eventually came on board,” he said.
“But it was pointed out to me then that actually wasn’t my responsibility.”
Mr Brown also used Paraguay’s win over Germany, which led to a public holiday for the nation, as an example.
“We’ll see how we go. I don’t want to denigrate any country, so good luck in Paraguay. I reckon there’s businesses in this room might object,” he said.
The event, hosted by the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, explored how the new Western Sydney Airport will support new infrastructure and investment opportunities.
The Prime Minister used his keynote to promote the Socceroos, saying they represent the vision of a multicultural Australia.
“We’re a multicultural nation. It’s who we are, and you know what? We should celebrate. The Socceroos show that, and the pride,” he said.
“We should be proud of it, and we should celebrate it, just as we’ll celebrate every Socceroo, whether their name is Irankunda or Irvine, they’re all just proud to be representing our country, but they’re also proud of who they are.”
The Socceroos will face off against Egypt on Saturday morning at 4am (AEST) Saturday at Dallas Stadium in round 32 of the World Cup.
