As Anzac Day this year falls on Saturday 25 April, both it and the following Monday, 27 April, will be public holidays.
All dawn services and commemorative activities will take place on the Saturday.
Monday will be an additional public holiday.
This aligns the ACT’s public holiday arrangements with NSW, the ACT Government announced.
“Anzac Day is one of the most important days in our national calendar, and it will always be commemorated on 25 April,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
“The ACT is uniquely positioned within NSW, with many families living on one side of the border and working or studying on the other. Declaring both Saturday and Monday as public holidays respects the significance of the day and provides clarity for the community.”
Originally, Saturday was not going to be a public holiday, unlike in neighbouring NSW. Industrial relations minister Michael Pettersson MLA said the decision was based on feedback from stakeholders, and reflected the realities of the shared regional workforce.
“Aligning the Anzac public holiday arrangements with NSW provides greater certainty for businesses and workers as they plan operations and time with family. The additional public holiday gives people time beyond the day itself to pause, reflect and spend time with loved ones, while keeping Anzac Day firmly at the heart of remembrance.”
Independent MLA Thomas Emerson said he welcomed the government having listened to community feedback and changed their policy.
“It makes sense for our approach to align with NSW, and with what’s happened in the ACT in the past,” Mr Emerson said. “It was a mistake from the ACT Government not to have included the Saturday as a public holiday from the outset.”
Canberra Liberals leader Mark Parton MLA agreed that the government “just stuffed up” with the earlier decision. “They just didn’t think at the at the time. NSW did make the late change, because NSW didn’t initially have a public holiday on Monday, and they changed late on that earlier in the year. They just got caught unawares.”
Mr Parton said that the SDA, the union for workers in retail, fast food, and warehousing, was making all the drama.
“When the union beats the drum, Labor does tend to dance.”
