South Australians will get a new public holiday, as the government brings the state in line with the rest of the country.
The government is fulfilling its election promise to make Easter Sunday a declared public holiday, bumping the state’s number of full-day public holidays from 11 to 12 next year.
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This is in line with Queensland but less than the 13 days offered in Victoria, the ACT and the Northern Territory.
Christmas Day will also be made a public holiday in South Australia, meaning employees who work it will be entitled to penalty rates, no matter what day of the week it falls on.
Currently, when Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the public holiday moves to the following Monday and those who worked the Saturday miss out on public holiday rates, despite sacrificing their day.
The government hopes the change, which was passed in parliament last week, will reduce confusion and simplify public holiday laws.
The Public Holidays Bill 2023 also included a shake-up to the traditional naming of public holidays, with the government agreeing to replace the name of several holidays with their dates.
Anzac Day will instead be April 25 and Christmas Day as December 25.
Holidays that fall on different days each year, such as Good Friday and Easter Sunday, are referred to by their names.
Despite the renaming move being labelled as “un-Australian” by the opposition, the government says the change guarantees all holidays will be honoured and ensures workers will receive penalty rates on public holidays.
Full-day public holidays across Australia
SA – 12
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Adelaide Cup
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- King’s Birthday
- Labour Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
VIC – 13
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Labour Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- King’s Birthday
- Grand Final
- Melbourne Cup
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
NSW – 11
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- King’s Birthday
- Labour Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
QLD – 12
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- Labour Day
- Show Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
WA – 11
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Labour Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- WA Day
- King’s Birthday
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
TAS – 10
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Eight Hours Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- Easter Tuesday
- Anzac Day
- King’s Birthday
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
ACT – 13
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Canberra Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- Reconciliation Day
- Sovereign’s Birthday
- Labour Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
NT – 13
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day
- May Day
- King’s Birthday
- Picnic Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- Show Day
