Public holidays 2026 by state — dates and penalty rate basics
Australia's 2026 public holidays differ in every state and territory. Compare Labour Day, Queen's/King's Birthday, Picnic Day, AFL Grand Final Eve and other state-specific holidays across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT — with Fair Work penalty-rate basics.
Public holidays are set by each state and territory, not the Commonwealth. The Fair Work Act preserves the National Employment Standards entitlement to a paid day off on a public holiday — but the dates of those holidays come from state and territory legislation. An employer with staff in two states has to plan two calendars.
In 2026, Australia has seven nationally-observed holidays (New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day) plus the Queen's/King's Birthday observed on different dates in WA and on a common date elsewhere. Anzac Day falls on a Saturday in 2026 — most states do not substitute, but ACT, NSW and WA observe a Monday in lieu. Labour Day moves: 2 March (WA), 9 March (Vic, Tas), 4 May (Qld, NT), 5 October (NSW, SA, ACT).
Penalty rates for public holidays come from each Modern Award, not directly from the public holiday itself. The General Retail Industry Award sets a 250% rate for permanent staff and 275% for casuals; the Hospitality Industry (General) Award is also at 250%. The NES guarantees a paid day off or substitute day for non-working staff. The default penalty for working on a public holiday under most Modern Awards is 250%, but always check the applicable Award.
For the plain-English explainer, see our companion guide: Public holidays 2026 in Australia.
Comparison matrix
Click any column header to sort.
Australia Day 2026 (Mon 26 Jan) | Mon 26 Jan 2026 NSW Gov | Mon 26 Jan 2026 Business Vic | Mon 26 Jan 2026 Qld Gov | Mon 26 Jan 2026 WA Commerce | Mon 26 Jan 2026 SafeWork SA | Mon 26 Jan 2026 WorkSafe Tas | Mon 26 Jan 2026 ACT Gov | Mon 26 Jan 2026 NT Gov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Day 2026 The most variable public holiday — different state, different date. | Mon 5 Oct 2026 NSW Gov | Mon 9 Mar 2026 Business Vic | Mon 4 May 2026 Qld Gov | Mon 2 Mar 2026 WA Commerce | Mon 5 Oct 2026 SafeWork SA | Mon 9 Mar 2026 (Eight Hours Day) WorkSafe Tas | Mon 5 Oct 2026 ACT Gov | Mon 4 May 2026 (May Day) NT Gov |
Anzac Day 2026 (Sat 25 Apr) — substitution? Anzac Day falls on a Saturday in 2026. Most states do not substitute; ACT, NSW and WA observe a Monday in lieu. | Sat 25 Apr; Mon 27 Apr in lieu NSW Gov | Sat 25 Apr (no substitute) Business Vic | Sat 25 Apr (no substitute) Qld Gov | Sat 25 Apr; Mon 27 Apr in lieu WA Commerce | Sat 25 Apr (no substitute) SafeWork SA | Sat 25 Apr (no substitute) WorkSafe Tas | Sat 25 Apr; Mon 27 Apr in lieu ACT Gov | Sat 25 Apr (no substitute) NT Gov |
Queen's/King's Birthday 2026 | Mon 8 Jun 2026 NSW Gov | Mon 8 Jun 2026 Business Vic | Mon 5 Oct 2026 Qld Gov | Mon 28 Sep 2026 (WA-specific date) WA Commerce | Mon 8 Jun 2026 SafeWork SA | Mon 8 Jun 2026 WorkSafe Tas | Mon 8 Jun 2026 ACT Gov | Mon 8 Jun 2026 NT Gov |
State-specific public holidays Holidays unique to one state or territory. | Bank Holiday (Mon 3 Aug 2026) NSW Gov | AFL Grand Final Eve, Melbourne Cup Day (Tue 3 Nov 2026) Business Vic | Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane local — verify date with QGov) Qld Gov | Western Australia Day (Mon 1 Jun 2026) WA Commerce | Adelaide Cup Day (Mon 9 Mar 2026); Proclamation Day (Mon 28 Dec 2026) SafeWork SA | Royal Hobart Regatta (regional), Eight Hours Day WorkSafe Tas | Canberra Day (Mon 9 Mar 2026); Reconciliation Day (Mon 1 Jun 2026) ACT Gov | Picnic Day (Mon 3 Aug 2026); regional show holidays NT Gov |
Boxing Day 2026 (Sat 26 Dec) — substitution? Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026. | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu NSW Gov | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu Business Vic | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu Qld Gov | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu WA Commerce | Proclamation Day observed Mon 28 Dec 2026 SafeWork SA | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu WorkSafe Tas | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu ACT Gov | Sat 26 Dec; Mon 28 Dec in lieu NT Gov |
Source — official holiday list | NSW Government public holidays NSW Gov | Business Victoria public holidays Business Vic | Qld Gov public holidays Qld Gov | WA Commerce public holidays WA Commerce | SafeWork SA public holidays SafeWork SA | WorkSafe Tas public holidays WorkSafe Tas | ACT Gov public holidays ACT Gov | NT Gov public holidays NT Gov |
Every cell links to the cited source. Rules Mate links and summarises — it does not reproduce statutory text. Confirm with the cited regulator before relying on any cell.
Frequently asked
Are public holidays the same in every state?
No. The seven nationally observed holidays are New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Beyond those, each state has its own holidays — Labour Day moves between March, May and October depending on the state. Some states also substitute when a holiday falls on a weekend; others do not.
What penalty rate applies to a public holiday under a Modern Award?
The most common public-holiday penalty rate under Modern Awards is 250% of the ordinary rate for permanent staff and 275% for casuals. This is the rate set in the General Retail Industry Award, the Hospitality Industry (General) Award and several others. Always check the applicable Modern Award — rates do vary, and some industry-specific awards apply different multipliers.
Does an employee get a paid day off if they don't work on a public holiday?
Yes — the National Employment Standards entitle full-time and part-time employees to a paid day off on a public holiday they would otherwise have worked. Casual employees do not receive a paid day off but are entitled to the public-holiday penalty rate when they work. The Fair Work Ombudsman's tools and templates set out the detail.
Why does WA's King's Birthday fall on a different date?
WA observes the King's Birthday holiday on the Monday closest to the last weekend in September or first weekend in October each year, set by Royal proclamation. In 2026 that is Monday 28 September. Every other state and territory observes it on the second Monday in June.
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