MOP(S) Act employees are entitled to public holidays as set out in the Enterprise Agreement and Leave and public holidays guideline (see related resources).
This includes public holidays at your work base and at locations when you are required to travel for work.
Ongoing and non-ongoing MOP(S) Act employees will be paid the hours that you would otherwise have worked on that day. Public holidays are additional to your other leave entitlements.
Annual close down/Christmas shut down
Annual close down occurs each year between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Close down is treated the same way as public holidays. Annual close down is additional to your leave entitlements and you do not need to submit a leave application for this time period.
Working or travelling on a public holiday
If reasonably requested to do so, MOP(S) Act employees may be required to work on public holidays or during the annual close down. If you are required to do so, you are entitled to take paid time off equal to the hours worked. You do not need to submit a leave application. Discuss and agree the time to be taken off with your employing parliamentarian.
If you travel to Canberra for work on a public holiday you may be entitled to additional annual leave credit.
Substitution of public holidays
In certain circumstances ongoing and non-ongoing employees may substitute a gazetted public holiday for an alternative day off, with the agreement of their Parliamentarian/Authorised Officer.
Requesting employees to work on a public holiday
Where employees are expected to work on a public holiday, employing Members and employees must ensure the need for work on a public holiday is reasonable, based on the factors in the National Employment Standard (refer to the Leave and Public Holidays Guideline for further information).
Public holidays
Public holidays are listed below. Other public holidays are individually declared by the respective state and territory governments.
National public holidays 2026
| Thursday 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Monday 26 January | Australia Day |
| Friday 3 April | Good Friday |
| Saturday 4 April | Easter Saturday |
| Monday 6 April | Easter Monday |
| Monday 27 April | Anzac Day |
| Monday 8 June | Birthday of the Sovereign (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, and VIC only) |
| Monday 28 September | Birthday of the Sovereign (WA only) |
| Monday 5 October | Birthday of the Sovereign (QLD only) |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Monday 26 December | Boxing Day |
| Tuesday 29 December | Annual close down |
| Wednesday 30 December | Annual close down |
| Thursday 31 December | Annual close down |
*The annual shutdown period for MOP(S) Act employees is from 25 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, inclusive. Employees are expected to return to work on Monday, 4 January 2027.