# Is Easter Saturday 2026 a Public Holiday Across Australia?

**Short answer: No — it is not a uniform national public holiday.** Whether Easter Saturday 2026 (Saturday **4 April 2026**, falling between Good Friday on 3 April and Easter Sunday on 5 April) is a public holiday depends entirely on the **state or territory** in which the employee is based.

## Why there is no single national answer

Public holidays in Australia are set by **state and territory legislation**, not by a single Commonwealth law. The Fair Work Act lists a small set of national public holidays (e.g. Good Friday, Christmas Day) but otherwise picks up whatever days are declared as public holidays under the law of each state and territory. Easter Saturday is **not** one of the nationally fixed days — so it is gazetted in some jurisdictions and not in others.

## Jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction (FY2025-26)

| Jurisdiction | Easter Saturday (4 April 2026) a public holiday? |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | **Yes** |
| Victoria | **Yes** |
| Queensland | **Yes** |
| South Australia | **Yes** |
| Australian Capital Territory | **Yes** |
| Northern Territory | **Yes** |
| **Western Australia** | **No** |
| **Tasmania** | **No** (not a statewide public holiday) |

So in most of the country Easter Saturday is a public holiday, but in **Western Australia and Tasmania it is not** a statewide public holiday.

## What an individual employee's answer turns on

For any given employee, the answer depends on:

1. **The state or territory where the employee is employed / performs the work** — this determines which public-holiday legislation applies. This is the decisive factor.
2. **In WA and Tasmania**, the further possibility of a **locally declared or regional public holiday**, or an entitlement created by an **enterprise agreement, award, or contract** that treats Easter Saturday as a holiday even though it is not gazetted statewide. (Check the applicable industrial instrument.)
3. **Penalty rates and entitlements** then flow from the relevant award/agreement and the National Employment Standards, but only *if* the day is a public holiday in that jurisdiction.

## Practical guidance for the payroll officer

- Do **not** apply a single rule nationally. Process Easter Saturday public-holiday entitlements (penalty rates, holiday pay, reasonable-refusal-to-work provisions) for employees in **NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT and NT**.
- For employees in **WA and Tasmania**, Easter Saturday is an ordinary Saturday for public-holiday purposes unless an applicable **award, enterprise agreement, contract, or local proclamation** provides otherwise — confirm before defaulting to no entitlement.
- Always verify against the official public-holiday gazettal/list for each relevant jurisdiction for the **2026** calendar year, as dates and declarations can be amended.