“Is that… Labour Day?” my American friend texted me. I’d asked her if she wanted to plan kayaking on the “October long weekend”. To answer her question and yours, if you had it too: yes, Labour Day and October long weekend are the same thing. Sort of.
Labour Day is celebrated on different dates around Australia. In the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and South Australia, Labour Day takes place on the first Monday in October. Meanwhile, in the NT and Queensland, the public holiday is on the first Monday in May. In Victoria and Tasmania, it’s on the second Monday in March. Finally, in Western Australia, Labour Day is on the first Monday in March.
This means October long weekend and Labour Day are the same thing only in ACT, NSW and SA. Why is Labour Day celebrated on different dates, you ask? Well, if you didn’t know, Labour Day commemorates the achievements of the Australian labour movement — particularly the start of the eight-hour working day, a victory for workers in the 19th century.
The argument for the cap on working hours in a day — which previously saw workers on the job for 10-12 hours a day, six days a week — was that each person should have eight hours of labour, eight hours of recreation and eight hours of rest, an idea originally popularised by British socialist Robert Owen.
The reason Labour Day is different across Australia’s states and territories is that the territory achieved the eight-hour working day on unique dates, and the public holidays that commemorate those occasions reflect that. Top of Form
When Is Labour Day in Australia in 2023?
To make it confusing, Labour Day is celebrated on different dates in the states and territories — though always on a Monday.
In the ACT, New South Wales, and South Australia, Labour Day takes place on the first Monday in October. Meanwhile, in the NT and Queensland, the public holiday is on the first Monday in May. In Victoria and Tasmania, it’s on the second Monday in March. Finally, in Western Australia, Labour Day is on the first Monday in March.
Do We Get a Public Holiday for Labour Day?
Yep, we do. Although, again, the public holiday for Labour Day varies in the different states and territories. In 2023, Labour Day in WA is celebrated Monday, March 6. In Tassie and VIC, it’s Monday, March 13. In NT and QLD, it’s Monday, May 1 and in ACT, NSW and SA, it’s Monday, October 2.
Related: Why Do We Get a Public Holiday for Labour Day?
Related: When Do Each Australian State and Territory Celebrate Labour Day?
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