Why a parent lobby group is pushing for a new public holiday

A parent activist group is calling for a public holiday to recognise the suffering children have gone through during lockdowns.

The Shadow Pandemic, which launched in August last year, is behind the push for a day of recognition in October.

Shadow Pandemic convener, Moran Dvir, says it doesn’t matter whether the day falls on a weekday or a weekend.

“It doesn’t matter,” she told Neil Mitchell.

“The bigger picture is that we are looking at the recovery of our children and it’s a day for families to be together and celebrate their children.”

“It’s a really symbolic gesture to children and to families, and the people of Victoria, that it is time to restore childhood to its rightful place.

“Kids have really borne the brunt of this pandemic. The idea is that we’re … taking a minute to pause and reflect, and then just celebrate children — and a day for families to be together.”

Ms Dvir says a public holiday would signal to children that they haven’t been forgotten.

“Kids don’t read the paper, they’re not part of all these discussions that adults are having so it’s really something on a child level that they can see,” she said.

The Shadow Pandemic is also calling for a dedicated Victorian Children’s Recovery Minister to lead a portfolio focused on children’s post-pandemic recovery, as well as legislation that stipulates schools be the last places closed and the first reopened in any future pandemics.

Press PLAY below to hear why the parent lobby group thinks the holiday is so important