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Public holidays

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Public holiday information for employers and employees.

Find out about public holiday dates for 2012, how to use PayCheck Plus to find the right pay for public holiday workers and what employees get if they do or don’t work on a public holiday. Got a question? Try our FAQs for answers to common public holiday questions.

The following days are public holidays under the National Employment Standards:

  • 1 January (New Year’s Day)
  • 26 January (Australia Day)
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • 25 April (Anzac Day)
  • Queen’s birthday holiday (on the day on which it is celebrated in a state or territory or a region of a state or territory)
  • 25 December (Christmas Day)
  • 26 December (Boxing Day)

These days may be substituted for another day under state or territory law, by agreement under the terms of an award or agreement, or between an employer and an award / agreement free employee.

Additional public holidays can also be provided under state or territory law. For example, regional public holidays that apply only in a specific area, state public holidays for Labour Day and Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria.

For more information about public holidays in your state or territory, you can Call us or contact your relevant state or territory department below.

State State Department Contact number
Victoria Business Victoria External link icon 13 22 15
New South Wales NSW Government External links icon 131 628
Queensland Fair Work Ombudsman 13 13 94
Northern Territory Office of the Commisioner for Public Employment External link icon (08) 8999 5511
Western Australia Department of Commerce External link icon 1300 655 266
South Australia SafeWork SA External link icon 1300 365 255
Tasmania Tasmania Online External link icon 1300 366 322
Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister and Cabinet External link icon 13 22 81

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Page last updated: 26 April 2012