Is today a public holiday in Australia?

National Standards, Modern Awards & Banking Clearing Rules

In Australia, public holiday entitlements operate under a dual legal framework: the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) at the Commonwealth level, and state and territory public holiday acts. Under Part 2-2, Division 10 of the National Employment Standards (NES), permanent full-time and part-time employees are legally entitled to be absent from work on a public holiday without loss of their base pay, provided the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work.

Can an Employer Force You to Work? (Section 114)

Under Section 114 of the Fair Work Act, an employer cannot unilaterally order an employee to work on a public holiday. The statute requires an interactive test:

1. The employer may make a reasonable request that an employee work on a public holiday.
2. The employee has a statutory right to refuse the request if the request is not reasonable, or if the refusal is reasonable based on personal circumstances (such as family responsibilities, advance notice given, or the nature of the workplace).

In CFMEU v OS MCAP Pty Ltd (2023), the Full Federal Court affirmed that employment contracts cannot contain blanket clauses requiring public holiday shifts; employers must make an individual request and provide an opportunity for reasonable refusal before rosters are finalized.

Modern Award Penalty Rates & Casual Loading

While the NES guarantees base pay for unworked holidays, pay rates for employees who do work are established by industry Modern Awards and Enterprise Agreements:

• Permanent Staff (Full-Time / Part-Time): Modern Awards typically set public holiday pay at 225% (double time and a quarter) in hospitality and retail, or 250% (double time and a half) across clerical, industrial, and social care awards.
• Casual Employees: Awards generally specify a single public holiday penalty rate between 250% and 275%, which incorporates or supplements the standard 25% casual loading.
• Anti-Pyramiding Clauses: Modern Awards contain anti-pyramiding provisions preventing penalty compounding. Working overtime on a public holiday is paid at the single higher applicable penalty rate rather than stacking overtime multipliers on top of holiday rates. Read our in-depth worked calculations in our Australia Public Holiday Penalty Rates Guide.

Anzac Day & Boxing Day 2026 Weekend Observance

In 2026, two major fixed-date national holidays land on a Saturday, producing divergent state-by-state observances:

• Anzac Day (Saturday, 25 April 2026): Saturday 25 April is a gazetted public holiday nationwide. However, only New South Wales, the ACT, and Western Australia declare an additional substitute public holiday on Monday, 27 April 2026. In Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, no Monday substitute applies.
• Boxing Day (Saturday, 26 December 2026): Because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, all states and territories designate Monday, 28 December 2026 as an official public holiday in lieu (or Proclamation Day in South Australia), granting a four-day national weekend following Christmas Day on Friday. In 2027, because Anzac Day falls on Sunday, 25 April 2027, states and territories observe a Monday substitute public holiday on 26 April 2027, and Christmas/Boxing Day (25–26 December 2027) roll to Monday, 27 December and Tuesday, 28 December 2027 under Fair Work Ombudsman schedules. See our Australia RBA RITS, BECS & NPP Osko Guide.

RBA Settlement (RITS) vs. New Payments Platform (NPP / Osko)

Wholesale interbank settlements and commercial banking transactions are tied to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). The RBA's Real-time Information and Transfer System (RITS) halts settlement operations on national public holidays. Batch Direct Entry transactions (including traditional Direct Debit and corporate payroll files) do not clear on statutory holidays.

Conversely, Australia's New Payments Platform (NPP), including Osko and PayID services, functions 24/7/365. Instant consumer and business transfers between participating financial institutions clear in real time on weekends and public holidays. Calculate net working day delivery windows using the Working Days Calculator.

State Variations & Part-Day Public Holidays

State and territory governments hold independent legislative authority over civic holiday declarations:

• King's Birthday: Celebrated on the second Monday in June across NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT. Western Australia observes it on Monday, 28 September 2026, while Queensland marks the holiday on Monday, 5 October 2026.
• Part-Day Public Holidays: South Australia and the Northern Territory gazette official part-day public holidays from 7:00 PM to midnight on Christmas Eve (24 December) and New Year's Eve (31 December). Queensland gazettes Christmas Eve from 6:00 PM to midnight. Shifts worked during these evening windows attract full award public holiday penalty rates.
• Victoria Civic Days: Observes Melbourne Cup Day (first Tuesday in November) and the Friday before the AFL Grand Final (25 September 2026).

Financial Markets (ASX Trading Hours)

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) halts equity and interest-rate market trading on all national public holidays. When a national holiday falls on a weekend and an official substitute day is declared (such as Monday, 28 December 2026), the ASX observes the substitute day and remains closed.

Australia Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)

When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in Australia, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:

Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in Australia

Because fixed calendar holidays shift one weekday forward between 2026 and 2027 (and movable lunar or liturgical holidays shift by 10 to 15 days), HR teams, payroll processors, and employees in Australia should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities: