Commodore Darron Kavanagh delivering an Anzac Day address in Wagga. Photo: Chris Roe.
NSW residents will get an extra public holiday in April both this year and next year, after Premier Chris Minns announced that the Monday after Anzac Day will be a day off.
Normally, when Anzac Day falls on a weekend date, there is no weekday public holiday in this state.
That meant residents were set to miss out on the holiday in both 2026 and 2027, when the day falls on a Saturday and Sunday respectively.
But Premier Minns announced that this would change on Sunday (15 February).
“We will be having an additional public holiday in New South Wales on the 27th of April, Monday, after Anzac Day, obviously on the 25th.
“Now, New South Wales has fewer public holidays than other states. Some other states have already moved to having an additional public holiday when Anzac Day appears on the weekend, and we’re going to follow suit for 2026 and 2027.”
The Premier said the gesture is not intended to offend veterans in any way.
“We’re very sensitive to the idea that the 25th of April is a solemn day for our state, for our country. It is probably the most important national day that we have, where we recognize service, men and women’s contribution to our country, what our country has as a result of their determination, their courage, their professionalism, their dedication to our state,” he said.
“I think that New South Wales residents can be, of course, trusted with this public holiday in the sense that it won’t detract from the solemnity and importance of the 25th of April. It’s one of the reasons why we’re holding this public holiday after Anzac Day has taken place, not the Friday before. So we expect big participation, major crowds, full public civic participation in Anzac Day on the 25th of April, and then following that, on the Monday, we’ll have an additional public holiday. It is an opportunity for people to spend some time with their family, with their friends, away from work.”
NSW has long had fewer public holidays than every other state and territory in Australia. Last years, residents had just 11 public holiday, compared to 13 in both Victoria and the ACT.
