# Labour Day in Australia 2026

## Short answer

**There is no single national date for Labour Day in Australia.** The holiday is set separately by each state and territory, so the correct date depends entirely on **where the employee works**. Any single "national" date would be wrong for most of the country.

## Dates by jurisdiction (2026)

| Jurisdiction | Name of holiday | Rule | 2026 date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | Labour Day | First Monday in March | **Monday 2 March 2026** |
| Victoria | Labour Day | Second Monday in March | **Monday 9 March 2026** |
| Tasmania | Eight Hours Day | Second Monday in March | **Monday 9 March 2026** |
| Queensland | Labour Day | First Monday in May | **Monday 4 May 2026** |
| Northern Territory | May Day | First Monday in May | **Monday 4 May 2026** |
| NSW | Labour Day | First Monday in October | **Monday 5 October 2026** |
| ACT | Labour Day | First Monday in October | **Monday 5 October 2026** |
| South Australia | Labour Day | First Monday in October | **Monday 5 October 2026** |

## Working (date verification)

- **March 2026**: 1 March 2026 falls on a Sunday, so the first Monday is 2 March (WA) and the second Monday is 9 March (VIC, TAS).
- **May 2026**: 1 May 2026 falls on a Friday, so the first Monday is 4 May (QLD, NT).
- **October 2026**: 1 October 2026 falls on a Thursday, so the first Monday is 5 October (NSW, ACT, SA).

## Practical guidance for payroll

1. **Apply the holiday based on the employee's location of work**, not the employer's head office location. An employer with staff in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney will observe three different Labour Day dates in 2026 (9 March, 4 May, and 5 October respectively).
2. Public holiday entitlements under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) s 114–116 attach to the holiday as declared in the state or territory where the employee is based.
3. Always confirm against the relevant state/territory government's official public holiday gazette or website before finalising payroll calendars, as dates can occasionally be varied or substituted by proclamation.

**Bottom line:** if asked for "the" Labour Day date in Australia in 2026, the only correct response is that it varies by jurisdiction — a single confident national date does not exist.