Anzac Day 2026, falling on Saturday 25 April, presents a nuanced landscape of public holiday entitlements and retail trading regulations across Australia. This year, the observance of this significant national day will bring a varied experience for workers and consumers, particularly highlighting the diverging approaches of states and territories to substitute public holidays and retail operations. While Anzac Day is designated as a national public holiday, only New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory will provide workers with a substitute public holiday on Monday 27 April. Furthermore, retailers in New South Wales are set to encounter more stringent trading restrictions in 2026, following the enactment of the Retail Trading Amendment (ANZAC Day Trading Hours) Act 2024. This new legislation eliminates the previous allowance for non-exempt shops to trade after 1pm on Anzac Day, marking a significant shift. For those employees who do work on Anzac Day, specific public holiday penalty rates are mandated, ensuring they receive at least 200 percent of their base rate for full-time and part-time staff, and a minimum of 250 percent for casual employees. These changes underscore the importance of understanding the specific rules applicable to each jurisdiction and employment situation for 2026.

Anzac Day 2026: A National Observance with Divergent Impacts

Anzac Day 2026 is scheduled for Saturday 25 April. As a pivotal date in the Australian calendar, it is enshrined as a public holiday in every Australian state and territory. This national recognition is stipulated under the Fair Work Act 2009, specifically in section 115, which explicitly lists Anzac Day as a national public holiday. This means that regardless of location within Australia, the 25th of April is officially observed as a day of remembrance and public observance.

However, the fact that Anzac Day 2026 lands on a Saturday introduces a layer of complexity regarding the provision of a substitute public holiday. The practice of granting a substitute day off varies significantly across the nation. For 2026, a substitute public holiday on Monday 27 April 2026 will apply exclusively in three jurisdictions: New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. This means that workers in these states and territory will receive an additional long weekend, extending their public holiday observance beyond the Saturday.

In contrast, the majority of Australian states and territories will not observe a substitute Monday public holiday in 2026. Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and South Australia will solely observe Anzac Day on the Saturday itself as their designated public holiday. For employees and businesses in these regions, the public holiday will be contained within the weekend, without an additional day off being granted in lieu of the Saturday observance. This distinction has considerable implications for workforce planning, leisure activities, and economic activity across the country, creating a two-tiered system for the 2026 Anzac Day commemorations.

Navigating Retail Trading Hours: New Rules for 2026

The landscape of retail trading hours on Anzac Day 2026 is set to be particularly varied, with New South Wales introducing significant new restrictions that differentiate it from other parts of Australia. Historically, Anzac Day has involved specific trading limitations across the country, primarily aimed at ensuring a period of quiet reflection and respect during the morning hours. Most retail shops across Australia are generally required to remain closed until at least 1pm on Anzac Day, a standard practice designed to honour the solemnity of the morning commemorations.

New South Wales: Tighter Restrictions Under the 2024 Amendment

For 2026, New South Wales will experience a notable tightening of these trading rules. Under the provisions of the Retail Trading Amendment (ANZAC Day Trading Hours) Act 2024, non-exempt retail shops in NSW can no longer engage in trading activity after 1pm on Anzac Day. This legislative change marks a significant departure from previous arrangements, which often permitted certain shops to open in the afternoon. The consequence of this amendment is that many shops that were previously allowed to open after 1pm must now remain closed for the entire day on Saturday 25 April 2026. This will impact a broad range of retailers, limiting consumer access to goods and services throughout the day and reshaping the retail experience for NSW residents on Anzac Day.

Other States: Standard Post-1pm Trading

In contrast to New South Wales, most other states and territories will maintain their established trading patterns once the initial morning restrictions have passed. After 1pm on Anzac Day, normal Saturday trading rules typically resume in states that do not have the new NSW restriction. This means that in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and South Australia, many retail businesses will be able to open their doors and operate according to their usual Saturday afternoon hours, following the national 1pm opening allowance. This divergence in trading regulations underscores the varied approaches jurisdictions take to balancing commemorative observance with economic activity.

Trading on the Substitute Monday Public Holiday

It is important for both businesses and consumers to understand that the specific trading restrictions imposed on Anzac Day itself do not extend to the substitute Monday 27 April public holiday. For New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory, where the substitute Monday is observed, shops are permitted to trade normal Monday hours. This means that while Saturday 25 April will see significantly altered retail operations in NSW, the subsequent Monday will allow for a return to standard trading patterns in the jurisdictions observing the extended long weekend.

Understanding Employee Entitlements on Anzac Day 2026

For employees required or choosing to work on Anzac Day 2026, specific entitlements and protections are in place to compensate them for working on a public holiday. These provisions are designed to acknowledge the significance of the day and the additional commitment required from staff.

Public Holiday Penalty Rates

Public holiday penalty rates are a crucial component of employee compensation for work performed on Anzac Day. Under most modern awards, full-time and part-time employees who work on Saturday 25 April 2026 are typically entitled to receive 200 to 250 percent of their base rate of pay. This equates to double time to double-time-and-a-half, recognising the premium placed on working a public holiday.

Casual employees, who already receive a casual loading as part of their regular pay, are also subject to enhanced rates for public holiday work. On Anzac Day, casual employees typically receive 250 to 275 percent of their base rate, a figure that includes their standard casual loading. These penalty rates ensure that employees are appropriately compensated for foregoing their public holiday.

Right to Refuse Work on a Public Holiday

Beyond financial compensation, employees in Australia also have a fundamental right regarding public holiday work. The Fair Work Ombudsman states unequivocally that all employees have the right to refuse to work on a public holiday. This right is applicable if the employer's request to work is deemed unreasonable, or if the employee possesses reasonable grounds to refuse the request. This provision empowers employees to balance their work commitments with their personal circumstances and the desire to observe the public holiday.

Furthermore, employers bear the responsibility to give employees a genuine choice on whether they work a public holiday. This means that an employer cannot unilaterally compel an employee to work without considering their preferences and reasons for refusal. Penalty rates are specifically applicable when an employee does make the choice to work the public holiday, reflecting the agreement to work on a day that would otherwise be a period of rest. For any queries or concerns regarding public holiday entitlements, employees and employers can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman contact line at 13 13 94 or visit their website at fairwork.gov.au for authoritative guidance and assistance.

The Broader Implications for 2026

The specific arrangements for Anzac Day 2026 will have varied implications across the country. In New South Wales, the combined effect of a substitute Monday holiday and tighter Saturday retail restrictions means that consumers will experience a Saturday with significantly reduced shopping options, potentially shifting retail activity to the Monday. Businesses in NSW, particularly those in the non-exempt retail sector, will need to adjust their staffing and operational plans to accommodate the full-day closure, which marks a change from previous years.

For states like Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and South Australia, where no substitute Monday holiday is granted, the impact is different. While their retailers will generally be able to open after 1pm on Anzac Day, the absence of an extended long weekend means that overall economic activity and consumer spending patterns will likely be contained within the immediate weekend period. Workers in these states, while still receiving public holiday rates for Saturday work, will not benefit from the additional day off provided elsewhere.

The consistent application of public holiday penalty rates across all states and territories ensures that employees working on this significant day are fairly compensated, irrespective of their location. However, the differing approaches to substitute holidays and retail trading hours create a patchwork of experiences that businesses, employees, and the general public will need to navigate in 2026. This highlights the ongoing complexity of Australia’s public holiday framework, where national observance meets jurisdictional autonomy.

What Happens Next

As Anzac Day 2026 approaches, the key elements of its observance are set: Saturday 25 April is a national public holiday. Only New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory will receive a substitute Monday 27 April public holiday, providing an extended weekend. New South Wales retailers, specifically non-exempt shops, will face new, stricter trading rules under the Retail Trading Amendment (ANZAC Day Trading Hours) Act 2024, requiring them to remain closed for the entire day on Saturday 25 April. Meanwhile, in other states, post-1pm trading will generally resume as normal on the Saturday. Employees who work on Anzac Day are entitled to public holiday penalty rates, ranging from 200 to 250 percent for full-time and part-time staff, and 250 to 275 percent for casuals. These established facts will guide planning and participation in the 2026 commemorations and associated economic activities.