Last Australian state to make Easter Sunday a holiday   

Wed 19 August 2026
Yahoo News


Tasmania will join the rest of Australia in recognising Easter Sunday as a public holiday despite opposition from the government and business groups.

The state's parliament on Tuesday night gave the green light to pass a law to ensure workers receive penalty entitlements on the day, as well as other rights.

Labor MP Sarah Lovell, whose opposition party put forward the legislation, said the change was not radical and was fair for employees.



"Tasmanian workers are treated differently and less favourably than workers doing the same job on the same day elsewhere in Australia," she told parliament.

Tas opposition MP Sarah Lovell
Opposition MP Sarah Lovell says the change is fair and will not lead to job losses.
NSW was the first state to recognise Easter Sunday as a public holiday in 2011, with other jurisdictions following.

There are 10 nationwide public holidays. Tasmania has 13 state-specific public holidays, the most of any jurisdiction, although all are regional and don't cover the whole island.

Prior to the vote, a coalition of seven business groups warned businesses would be forced to shut across the peak tourism Easter weekend if the law passed.



The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the change will lead to a five-day Easter "shutdown".

"(Labor) fails to mention that Tasmania is the only state in the country with the absurd Easter Tuesday public sector public holiday," the chamber's acting chief executive Colleen Reardon said.

"Far from helping out workers, (the) flawed bill will actually result in many of them missing out on shifts, as small businesses are forced to stay shut rather than bear the costs of penalty rates."

A cafe worker
Business groups warned of closures across the Easter weekend if the law passed.
The Liberal government was against the change but did not have the numbers in either house to block it.   

Liberal MP Kerry Vincent said regional Tasmanian areas will be particularly hit, with more pressure placed on small businesses.



"If you think it is going to give extra money into pockets ... we all pay a public holiday surcharge. Every drink, every salad roll," he said.

"All of a sudden that $100 you walk into a pub or club with, you don't get the same amount for it."

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, which represents retail workers, described the vote as a historic win.

Ms Lovell said a report by the McKell Institute estimated additional Easter Sunday wages would be between $5.3 million and $6.48 million, just 0.024 and 0.029 per cent of annual state wages.

"The experience elsewhere does not support claims that recognising Easter Sunday will cause widespread job losses or force businesses across the state to close," she said.

The law change was supported 10-4 in Tasmania's upper house after earlier passing the lower house.   

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As I've said before - how did we manage to survive decades ago when this was the norm? (There might have been half a day of shopping allowed on Saturdays, at least in WA, I can't remember).

greggerypeccary wrote Yesterday at 2:17pm:


That would be the Tuesday. But, only for government "workers", of course.

Just Tasmania.

I thought it was Australia wide. Thanks Greg.

Mind you, it may as well be Australia wide because I'm sure the number of "sickies" skyrockets on the Tuesday, same as they do for the Thursday before Easter.

Jasin wrote Yesterday at 4:17pm:


'No, Jasin is not right. Mainstream political left-wing groups and parties do not have a policy or desire to ban Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter. While occasional local government or school debates arise over inclusive secular branding or balancing multi-faith recognitions, major left-of-centre leaders routinely celebrate and wish communities well for both Christmas and Easter.'

'No, Jasin is not right. The use of "Happy Holidays" in Australia is an informal corporate and retail trend influenced by North American media and a growing desire for inclusivity, rather than a coordinated political mandate or plot by "the left" to change the traditional greeting.'