Even before they punched their ticket to the semi-finals with a historic (and bloody tense) penalty shoot-out victory against France this weekend, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been hinting at the possibility of declaring a public holiday for Australia should the Matildas win the 2023 FIFA Womenโs World Cup.
โThen they go into a semi-final on Wednesday, which happens to be the day of [national cabinet],โ Mr Albanese noted just last week while in conversation with the ABC.
โSo certainly, Iโll be raising with all the premiers and chief ministers, seeking their views on the potential to have a day off.โ
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NSW Premier Chris Minns, on the other hand, has all but assured a day off for the state should our girls in gold get up.
โWeโd love to back the Matildas with a public holiday,โ he told 4GB, before echoing sentiments similar to that of the PM.
โWeโll work with the other states and the Commonwealth to get the right date. Itโs going to be raised at national cabinet next week.โ
But would you believe not everybody is on board with the public holiday hype train?
National Party leader David Littleproud, for one, has firmly opposed the entire notion while insisting he doesnโt want to be โCaptain Killjoy on this.โ
โI think business has a point here,โ Littleproud explained during his appearance on ABCโs Insiders program (via The Guardian).
โI think weโve just got to understand that someoneโs got to foot that bill and businesses out there are doing it tough.โ
โWe live in a great nation โ we can celebrate our wins โ but we have to get on and pay the bills and make sure that the country keeps going.โ
โItโs easy to call for a national holiday when someone else is paying for it.โ
And at the very centre of this with perhaps the most level-headed take out of the bunch is Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews: โLetโs not jinx this, letโs not get ahead of ourselves.โ
The Matildas face a formidable side in Englandโs Lionesses who, despite not being a full strength due to some of its key playersโ long-term injuries and the suspension of rising star Lauren James, has yet to concede a single match this entire tournament.
With former Dutch international Sarina Wiegman at the helm (one of the most successful managers in womenโs football history), theyโve been incredibly strategic throughout their journey to the final four; culminating in the 2-1 defeat of Colombia on the very same night Australia made the cut.
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But thereโs something to be said about this ongoing run of the Matildaโs magic.
Not only has our homegrown side, led by Tony Gustavsson, recently ended the European championsโ 30-game win streak during a friendly match hosted at Brentford. But with names like Sam Kerr, Hayley Raso, Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Cortnee Vine, Katrina Gorry, Ellie Carpenter, Clare Hunt, Mackenzie Arnold, and more representing our sunburnt nationโฆ this is the best chance weโll ever get.
The Matildas will face England this Wednesday at Sydneyโs Stadium Australia, which is also scheduled to host the final โ kick-off time: 8 PM [AEST]. Assuming they get the job done (knock on wood), theyโll contest for a chance to hoist the gilded trophy against either Spain or Sweden.
#TillItsDone
