National Cabinet won’t discuss Matildas public holiday idea in backflip from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

National Cabinet will not be discussing the idea of a public holiday if the Matildas win the FIFA Women’s World Cup, in a backflip from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Mr Albanese gave in to his plan to pitch a day off to State and Territory leaders in Brisbane on Wednesday after receiving pushback from businesses and Premiers.

The topic of a Matildas day off mysteriously dropped off the National Cabinet agenda just a day after the Prime Minister confirmed it would be discussed along with housing issues.

“We won’t actually be discussing it today. We’re discussing housing and other issues,” Mr Albanese told Triple M Hobart.

“It’s up to the States and Territories what they do.”

Six times this month, the Prime Minister said he would raise the idea of a public holiday at the National Cabinet.

“I do say that at the National Cabinet meeting, which will meet in August, if we’re still going and if the Matildas can pull off a win in the World Cup, then that would be extraordinary, and I reckon the States and Territory leaders will be under enormous pressure to show that they understand how significant this achievement is,” he said on August 1.

On August 7, he claimed he would be putting up the public holiday argument at National Cabinet, saying Premiers and Chief Ministers would “fold like tents”.

A day later, on August 8, he said the public holiday discussion would be on the agenda if the Matildas won the game against France.

“It’ll be on the agenda for sure. It’d be a pretty brave Australian State leader, wouldn’t it, who said no to that,” Mr Albanese said.

He said the same on August 9, August 11 and then again this Tuesday.

A Matildas public holiday now seems unlikely, with Premier Roger Cook and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas both warning they don’t want to jinx the team ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with England.

Mr Malinauskas said he would rather invest the $18 million public holiday price tag into women’s sporting facilities.

Victoria’s Daniel Andrews and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk have recently avoided questions, while Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff poured cold water on the idea.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has been the only leader supporting a day off if the Matildas win.

Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton ruled out supporting the public holiday, instead pledging to spend $250 million on community sporting infrastructure if the Coalition was returned to Government.

Businesses are against a public holiday because it would mean more lost income for shutting shop or paying penalty rates at a time when cost-of-living pressures are already biting.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly knocked back criticism that a public holiday would negatively impact businesses.

“When the public holiday was held for the memorial day for the Queen, what happened was that a whole range of small businesses went gangbusters on that day,” he said on Wednesday.

“The contribution to the economy of this World Cup has been extraordinary, and tonight clubs and pubs right around Australia, they’ll be full, as well as live sites being full, and the contribution should not be underestimated that has been made.”