Damon Mcknight
Good Friday is a public holiday in Australia, and in some states, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on this day. In Western Australia, however, the King's Birthday is observed instead of Good Friday. This is because Western Australia celebrates Western Australia Day (formerly Foundation Day) on the first Monday in June, and the Governor of Western Australia proclaims the day on which the state will observe the King's Birthday.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Good Friday a public holiday in Western Australia? | Yes |
| Date | Friday, 3 April 2025; Friday, 18 April 2026 |
| Substitute holiday | N/A |
| Alcohol sale | Not allowed |
Explore related products
$13.99 $17.99
What You'll Learn
Good Friday is a public holiday in Australia
In Australia, public holidays are determined by statutes and specific gazetting. If a standard public holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute public holiday is typically observed on the following Monday. This is also the case in Western Australia, where if a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next Monday is a public holiday.
In Western Australia, there are regional variations in the observance of certain public holidays. For example, some regions may hold the King's Birthday public holiday on an alternative date, usually coinciding with a significant local event. Additionally, Western Australia Day, celebrated on the first Monday in June, is unique to the state.
It is important to note that public holidays in Australia can vary depending on the state or territory. Each state has its own set of public holidays in addition to the national ones. These holidays are determined by a combination of statutes and specific gazetting, and workers required to work on these days are usually entitled to remuneration at a holiday penalty rate.
Herbs in Australia: Best Time to Grow
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The date of Easter varies each year
Good Friday is a public holiday in Western Australia. The date of Good Friday varies each year as it is dependent on the date of Easter Sunday, which also varies annually.
Easter Sunday is a moveable feast, meaning its date is not fixed within the solar calendar. Instead, it is based on the lunar cycles of the Jewish calendar. The date of Easter Sunday is determined by the lunar month and the spring equinox, which occurs each year on March 20 or March 21.
The formula for determining the date of Easter Sunday was established by the Council of Nicaea and is still used today by the Catholic Church and most Protestant churches. According to this formula, Easter Sunday should be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This results in Easter Sunday falling on a date between March 22 and April 25.
The date of Easter Sunday can also be calculated using Gauss's Easter algorithm, which takes into account the lunar orbiting and the exact deterministic offsetting to obtain a Sunday following the full moon. The variable d represents the number of days from March 22 to the day after the full moon. By adding the value of d to March 22, the date of Easter Sunday can be determined.
Over a 500-year period from 1600 to 2099 AD, the most common dates for Easter Sunday are March 31 and April 16. However, the date of Easter Sunday can vary within a 35-day range, making it a moveable feast.
Redback Boots: Australian-Made or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Workers get paid more for working on public holidays
Good Friday is a public holiday in Western Australia. If you work on a public holiday in Australia, you are entitled to be paid your base rate of pay plus any applicable public holiday loadings. Penalty rates are extra payments that you should get on top of your regular wage, usually calculated as a percentage of your regular wage. They are intended to compensate you for working at inconvenient times.
In Australia, there are two systems of employment law for the private sector in Western Australia: the state industrial relations system and the national fair work system. Pay rates and employment entitlements for public holidays are based on which system covers a particular employee, the employee’s award or agreement coverage, and whether they are full-time, part-time, or casual.
If a public holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute public holiday will sometimes be observed on the first non-weekend day (usually Monday) after the weekend. If you work on the substitute public holiday, you will be paid your base rate of pay for your ordinary hours of work on that day. This excludes any bonuses, loadings, allowances, overtime, penalty rates, or other additional payments.
If you work variable schedules, your roster can determine whether you get the public holiday entitlement. If the rostered days naturally rotate to fall on the public holiday, it is a day the employee would normally work, so they get the public holiday entitlement. If the roster naturally rotates so the public holiday is a rostered day off, the public holiday is not a day they would normally work.
Employees can refuse to work on a public holiday, but the refusal must be reasonable.
Retirement Communities: A Smart Investment for Australians Over 55?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Some states don't sell alcohol on Good Friday
Good Friday is a public holiday in Western Australia, as well as in the rest of Australia. However, alcohol licences in several Australian states prevent the sale of alcohol on certain public holidays, including Good Friday.
In the United States, some states have what are known as "blue laws", which prohibit the sale of alcohol on Sundays. While these laws seem to be slowly fading away, with states like Tennessee and Texas rolling back restrictions, they still exist in other states. For example, in Massachusetts, bars are prohibited from promoting happy hours on Sundays, and in South Carolina, restaurants must obtain a special permit to sell alcohol on Sundays. In roughly half of Alabama's counties, no alcohol is sold on Sundays.
In Australia, each state has its own public holidays in addition to national ones. In Western Australia, these include Labour Day, Western Australia Day, and the King's Birthday. The King's Birthday is celebrated on the second Monday in June in most states, but Western Australia celebrates Western Australia Day on that day instead. As such, the Governor of Western Australia proclaims a different date for the King's Birthday, usually the last Monday of September or the first Monday of October.
In the United States, some states have unique alcohol laws as well. For instance, Indiana does not have happy hours—while bars can offer all-day drink specials, they cannot sell alcohol at reduced prices during a portion of the day. In the Rocky Mountain state, only liquor stores, breweries, vintners, and distilleries can legally sell beer and wine that are full strength. Grocery stores cannot sell these products.
Car Costs in Australia: Affordable or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Western Australia Day is unique to the state
Good Friday is a public holiday in Western Australia. When public holidays fall on a weekend, a substitute public holiday is observed on the following non-weekend day, usually a Monday.
Western Australia Day, also known as WA Day, is a public holiday unique to the state of Western Australia. It is celebrated annually on the first Monday in June to commemorate the founding of the Swan River Colony in 1829. The holiday was previously known as Foundation Day until 2011 when it was renamed Western Australia Day to recognise Aboriginal Australians as the original inhabitants of Western Australia. The day celebrates all Western Australians, acknowledging the state's Aboriginal history, early European settlers, and those from around the world who now call Western Australia home.
The history of Western Australia Day dates back to 1829 when Captain Charles Fremantle, commanding the HMS Challenger, claimed the western region of the Australian continent for Britain. On May 2, Fremantle officially claimed the land, then known as New Holland, that was not already included within the territory of New South Wales. This territory extended to the 129th meridian east of Greenwich. Later that month, on May 31, Lieutenant Governor James Stirling arrived with other officials and civilian settlers aboard the merchant vessel Parmelia. Stirling recognised the need for an annual celebration to unite the diverse inhabitants of the colony, including settlers, Aboriginal Australians, and "masters and servants". He designated June 1 as the date for this commemoration, with the holiday celebrated on the following Monday if it fell on a Sunday.
The choice of date for Western Australia Day holds historical significance. June 1 was originally intended to mark the arrival of the Parmelia, but it also coincides with the "Glorious First of June", commemorating the first and greatest British naval victory over the French in 1794. While most Australian states observe the King's Birthday public holiday in June, Western Australia celebrates Western Australia Day instead. As a result, the King's Birthday public holiday in Western Australia is typically held in September or October, with the Governor of Western Australia proclaiming the date based on school terms and the Perth Royal Show.
Meat Loaf's Australian Ban: The Reason Behind It
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Good Friday is a public holiday in Western Australia.
Western Australia observes a set of public holidays recognised throughout the state, including national holidays like New Year's Day, Australia Day, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Western Australia also celebrates Western Australia Day (the first Monday in June, formerly known as Foundation Day) and Labour Day (the first Monday in March).
Yes, regional areas in Western Australia may celebrate certain public holidays on alternative dates. For example, some regions observe the Queen's Birthday public holiday (now known as the King's Birthday) on a different date or not at all.
If a public holiday falls on a weekend in Western Australia, the holiday is typically moved to the following Monday. If there are two public holidays in a row, the weekend holiday is moved to the next available workday.
