We Asked 10 Local Tradies If They’d Ever Finished a Job ‘Next Thursday’ - Only One Told the Truth

Blake Curran | Investigative Journalist | Sutherland Shire Gazette

16 June 2025

SUTHERLAND SHIRE - In a bold investigative effort spanning three phone calls, two reschedules, and one text left on "read", The Sutherland Shire Gazette set out to uncover the truth behind the phrase that haunts Shire households: “Yeah, mate - we’ll be back to finish that next Thursday.”

Of the ten local tradies interviewed, nine gave answers ranging from confident deflection (“It’s all booked in, don’t stress”) to poetic ambiguity (“It’s more of a vibe than a date, really”). Only one - an apprentice brickie from Kirrawee - told the truth.

“Mate,” he said, “Next Thursday doesn’t exist. It’s a mythical time-space used to soften disappointment.”

The others cited a range of complications including "weather," "the wrong screws," "waiting on the supplier," and "Gary." No one could confirm the whereabouts or real identity of Gary.

Local mum-of-three, Toni from Engadine, has been waiting for her laundry renovation to be completed since June 2022. “Every Thursday I make muffins just in case,” she said, showing us a Tupperware of baked goods. “Still no sign of anyone - except Gary, once, who just used the loo and left.”

A spokesperson from  Loftus TAFE’s Institute of Scheduling Realism confirmed that “Next Thursday” is most commonly used by plumbers, roofers, and overcooked electricians.

In response, the Shire Council is rumoured to be trialling a support hotline for residents stuck in "Thursday limbo," offering group therapy and mild threats of small claims court.

Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to stop asking when tradies will return, and start asking if.

• More to come -