Public holidays in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Holidays in New Zealand can refer to publicly observed holiday
s or to a holiday
period.
Christmas and New Year are ‘Mondayised’ holidays, so if these fall on a weekend that employee does not normally work then the holiday is transferred to the following Monday or Tuesday. If the employee would normally work on the particular weekend then it remains a traditional holiday and the employee is entitled to that day off on pay. If they normally work on both days, they are only entitled to the traditional holiday and the Mondayised holiday is treated as a normal work day. Other public holidays are only taken on the day they fall and only employees who would have otherwise worked that day are entitled to a paid day off.
All workers who work on a public holiday must be both paid time-and-a-half
and given an alternative holiday (known as a day in lieu). Payment for the alternative holiday is equivalent relevant daily pay for the particular alternative day taken, had they have worked it.
While shops may trade on most public holidays, there are special trading restrictions on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and before 1pm on ANZAC Day. In recent years there have been deliberate violations of these trading restrictions on Good Friday by garden centre
s. (Previously, garden centres were exempt from these restrictions.)
In tourist towns, such as Queenstown
in the South Island, some exemptions are granted by the district council for selected shops to open on Good Friday. The reason being is to keep up the level of service to the tourists, as many would not know the shops will be closed on that day. However, liquor sale is restricted for some of that day (not usually a problem because shops are usually closed on that day).
Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day are always commemorated on the exact date, as they commemorate specific historical events. Apart from Good Friday the other New Zealand Statutory Holidays have been Mondayised.
For example: If 1 January or 25 December is a Saturday or Sunday, then the following Monday is the statutory holiday for New Year's Day or Christmas Day. If 2 January or 26 December is a Saturday, then the Day after New Year's Day or Boxing Day is celebrated on the next Monday. If either of these days occurs on a Sunday, then the holiday occurs on the following Tuesday, as the Monday will have been used for New Year or Christmas.
This situation has been complicated by the most recent incarnation of the Holidays Act. The holiday is Mondayised only if the employee would not usually work on weekends. For example an office worker who works only Monday to Friday would get to the Statutory holidays on the Monday (or Tuesday for days that fell on Sundays). But an employee who usually worked Saturdays would not get the Monday holiday as they did not work on the Saturday.
Additionally, the Holidays Act 1981 specifies each locality observing a Provincial Anniversary Day to celebrate the founding days or landing days of the first colonists of the various colonial provinces, however the exact dates are not legislated for. The regions covered are set by provincial district
(as they stood when abolished in 1876), plus Southland, the Chatham Islands
, South Canterbury and Northland. The actual observance days can vary even within each province and is due to local custom, convenience or the proximity of seasonal events or other holidays and may differ from the official observance day.
, the summer months are from December to February, and the best summer weather often occurs during January and February.) In many industries this coincides with a Christmas – New Year shutdown for maintenance. With only three working days between Christmas and New Year, many workers take this time off, as they can have a ten-day summer break for only three days' leave. Many retail outlets also hold sales at this time to stimulate business while others close down due to low demand for services. The days from 25 December to 15 January are not considered to be working days for official government purposes. The public counters of most government departments do open on weekdays during this period, though often only a limited service may be available.
From 1 April 2007, the minimum annual leave is four weeks.
examination in late November or early December.
an official holiday in New Zealand. In 2006, Māori Language Commission
er Haami Piripi made such a proposal http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0606/S00237.htm. Also, following the death of Sir Edmund Hillary, the Green Party
proposed a public holiday in his honour http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0801/S00088.htm.
From the 1950s to the 1970s it was frequently suggested that the Provincial Anniversary holidays be abolished, as the provinces had not existed for many decades. Before Waitangi Day was made a national public holiday it was sometimes suggested that a Waitangi Day holiday should replace the anniversary days, and the Waitangi Day Act
1960 made provision for this. Waitangi Day was eventually made an additional holiday and the provincial holidays lived on, primarily because most regions had long established events on those weekends.
A small minority of people advocate the abolition of the Waitangi Day holiday, but it is regularly suggested that a less controversial day, such as Anzac Day (25 April) or Dominion Day (26 September), be made New Zealand's national day.
New Zealand list of Unofficial Observances
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s or to a holiday
Annual leave
Annual leave is paid time off work granted by employers to employees to be used for whatever the employee wishes. Depending on the employer's policies, differing number of days may be offered, and the employee may be required to give a certain amount of advance notice, may have to coordinate with...
period.
National Public holidays
In New Zealand there are two types of national public holidays, those that are 'Mondayised' and those that are not.Christmas and New Year are ‘Mondayised’ holidays, so if these fall on a weekend that employee does not normally work then the holiday is transferred to the following Monday or Tuesday. If the employee would normally work on the particular weekend then it remains a traditional holiday and the employee is entitled to that day off on pay. If they normally work on both days, they are only entitled to the traditional holiday and the Mondayised holiday is treated as a normal work day. Other public holidays are only taken on the day they fall and only employees who would have otherwise worked that day are entitled to a paid day off.
All workers who work on a public holiday must be both paid time-and-a-half
Time-and-a-half
Time-and-a-half is when a worker is paid 1.5 times their usual hourly rate. It is usually paid as an incentive to work on a particular day or as government-mandated compensation for having workers work on particular days Time-and-a-half is when a worker (or workers) is paid 1.5 times their usual...
and given an alternative holiday (known as a day in lieu). Payment for the alternative holiday is equivalent relevant daily pay for the particular alternative day taken, had they have worked it.
While shops may trade on most public holidays, there are special trading restrictions on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and before 1pm on ANZAC Day. In recent years there have been deliberate violations of these trading restrictions on Good Friday by garden centre
Garden centre
A garden centre is a retail firm that sells plants and products related to gardens as its primary business. It is open to the public, with facilities to care for and display plants.- UK :...
s. (Previously, garden centres were exempt from these restrictions.)
In tourist towns, such as Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
in the South Island, some exemptions are granted by the district council for selected shops to open on Good Friday. The reason being is to keep up the level of service to the tourists, as many would not know the shops will be closed on that day. However, liquor sale is restricted for some of that day (not usually a problem because shops are usually closed on that day).
Statutory holidays
Statutory holidays are legislated by several Acts of Parliament, particularly the Holidays Act 2003.Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day are always commemorated on the exact date, as they commemorate specific historical events. Apart from Good Friday the other New Zealand Statutory Holidays have been Mondayised.
For example: If 1 January or 25 December is a Saturday or Sunday, then the following Monday is the statutory holiday for New Year's Day or Christmas Day. If 2 January or 26 December is a Saturday, then the Day after New Year's Day or Boxing Day is celebrated on the next Monday. If either of these days occurs on a Sunday, then the holiday occurs on the following Tuesday, as the Monday will have been used for New Year or Christmas.
This situation has been complicated by the most recent incarnation of the Holidays Act. The holiday is Mondayised only if the employee would not usually work on weekends. For example an office worker who works only Monday to Friday would get to the Statutory holidays on the Monday (or Tuesday for days that fell on Sundays). But an employee who usually worked Saturdays would not get the Monday holiday as they did not work on the Saturday.
| Date | Holiday Holiday A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations... |
|---|---|
| 1 January1 | New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome... |
| 2 January2 | Day after New Year's Day |
| 6 February | Waitangi Day Waitangi Day Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:... |
| The Friday before Easter Sunday | Good Friday Good Friday Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of... |
| The day after Easter Sunday | Easter Monday Easter Monday Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures... |
| 25 April | Anzac Day ANZAC Day Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all... |
| The first Monday in June | Queen's Birthday |
| The fourth Monday in October | Labour Day Labour Day Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for... |
| 25 December1 | Christmas Day |
| 26 December2 | Boxing Day Boxing Day Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as... |
| (1) or the following Monday if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday | |
| (2) or the following Monday if it falls on a Saturday, or the following Tuesday if it falls on a Sunday | |
Provincial anniversary days
Additionally, the Holidays Act 1981 specifies each locality observing a Provincial Anniversary Day to celebrate the founding days or landing days of the first colonists of the various colonial provinces, however the exact dates are not legislated for. The regions covered are set by provincial district
Provinces of New Zealand
The Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
(as they stood when abolished in 1876), plus Southland, the Chatham Islands
Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
, South Canterbury and Northland. The actual observance days can vary even within each province and is due to local custom, convenience or the proximity of seasonal events or other holidays and may differ from the official observance day.
| Provincial District | includes | Actual Day | Observance Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southland | Invercargill Invercargill Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,... , Bluff Bluff, New Zealand Bluff is a town and seaport in the Southland region, on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the southern-most town in New Zealand and, despite Slope Point being further to the south, is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the country... , Milford Sound Milford Sound Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site... , Fiordland Fiordland Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand that is situated on the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the western-most third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes and its ocean-flooded, steep western valleys... | 17 January | Varies – determined by local custom and tourist season. |
| Wellington Province Wellington Province The Wellington Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Area:... | Wellington Wellington Region The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island.-Governance:The official Wellington Region, as administered by the Wellington Regional Council covers the conurbation around the capital city, Wellington, and the cities of Lower Hutt, Porirua, and Upper Hutt, each... , Manawatu, Wanganui Wanganui Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region.... | 22 January | Monday nearest to the actual day |
| Auckland Province Auckland Province The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:... | Waikato Waikato The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District... , King Country King Country The King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman... , Coromandel Coromandel, New Zealand Coromandel is the name of a town and harbour on the western side of the Coromandel Peninsula, which is on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand... , Bay of Plenty Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name... , Gisborne Gisborne, New Zealand -Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped... /East Coast | 29 January | Monday nearest to the actual day (Auckland Anniversary Day Auckland Anniversary Day Auckland Anniversary Day is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand. It is observed throughout the historic Auckland Province even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876... ) |
| Northland | Whangarei Whangarei Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the... | 29 January | Monday nearest to the actual day |
| Nelson Nelson, New Zealand Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island.... | Nelson Nelson, New Zealand Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island.... , Tasman Tasman, New Zealand The Tasman Region is both a region and a district of New Zealand. It borders with the West Coast Region, Marlborough Region and the Nelson Region. It is both a region and a unitary authority, and the District Council sits at Richmond, with Community Boards serving outlying communities in Motueka... , Buller Buller District 200px|rightBuller District, administered by the Buller District Council is an administrative region in the West Coast Region of New Zealand. It covers Westport, Karamea, Reefton and Inangahua Junction. Its land area is 7,953.12 km²... and parts of North Canterbury | 1 February | Monday nearest to the actual day |
| Otago Province Otago Province The Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Area:The capital of the province was Dunedin... | Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until... , Queenstown Queenstown, New Zealand Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains.... | 23 March | Monday nearest to the actual day (this can vary if it would otherwise coincide with Easter Monday) |
| Taranaki (New Plymouth) | New Plymouth New Plymouth New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated.... | 31 March | Second Monday in March – to avoid Easter |
| South Canterbury Canterbury, New Zealand The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-... | 25 September | Fourth Monday in September – Dominion Day Dominion Day Dominion Day is a commemoration day of the granting of national status in various Commonwealth countries.-Canada:Dominion Day was the name of the holiday commemorating the formation of Canada as a Dominion on 1 July 1867... | |
| Hawke's Bay | Napier Napier, New Zealand Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"... , Hastings Hastings, New Zealand The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District... | 1 November | Friday before Labour Day Labour Day Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for... |
| Marlborough Marlborough Province The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:... | Blenheim Blenheim, New Zealand Blenheim is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough, in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the regional council. It has a population of The area which surrounds the town is well known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry... , Picton Picton, New Zealand Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001... | 1 November | First Monday after Labour Day Labour Day Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for... |
| Canterbury Canterbury, New Zealand The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-... | Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... , Ashburton Ashburton, New Zealand Ashburton is a town and district in the Canterbury Region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the third-largest centre in Canterbury, after Christchurch and Timaru. The area around Ashburton is frequently referred to as Mid Canterbury, which is also the name of the... | 16 November | Christchurch Show Day (Northern Canterbury) |
| Christchurch Show Day (Central Canterbury) | |||
| Second Friday after the first Tuesday in November (Christchurch City) – To coincide with the Agricultural and Pastoral Show. | |||
| Chatham Islands Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun... | 30 November | Monday nearest to the actual day | |
| Westland West Coast, New Zealand The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland... | Hokitika, Greymouth | 1 December | Monday nearest to the actual day (Greymouth) |
| Varies (outside Greymouth) | |||
Annual leave and non-working days
In addition to the above holidays all New Zealand workers must be given four weeks annual leave, often taken in the summer Christmas – New Year period. (As New Zealand is in the southern hemisphereSouthern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, the summer months are from December to February, and the best summer weather often occurs during January and February.) In many industries this coincides with a Christmas – New Year shutdown for maintenance. With only three working days between Christmas and New Year, many workers take this time off, as they can have a ten-day summer break for only three days' leave. Many retail outlets also hold sales at this time to stimulate business while others close down due to low demand for services. The days from 25 December to 15 January are not considered to be working days for official government purposes. The public counters of most government departments do open on weekdays during this period, though often only a limited service may be available.
From 1 April 2007, the minimum annual leave is four weeks.
School holidays
New Zealand schools have a 4-term year, of about ten weeks each and usually with a two week holiday between terms. Although standard term dates are set by the Ministry of Education each year, schools can vary these to account for local holidays and school closures due to weather. The first term commences in late January or early February. Occasionally, Easter holidays and/or ANZAC day may fall within these holidays. The holiday between terms two and three is generally known as the midwinter break and occurs in July, while that between terms 3 and 4 occurs in late September, early October. Term 4 ends in mid December, generally a week or two before Christmas, though for many senior students this term ends after their final NCEANational Certificate of Educational Achievement
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement is, since 2004, the official secondary school qualification in New Zealand.It has three levels, corresponding to the levels within the National Qualifications Framework, and these are generally studied in each of the three final years of...
examination in late November or early December.
Proposals for new holidays
From time to time, there have been proposals to make MatarikiMatariki
In the Māori language Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also of the season of its first rising in late May or early June - taken as the beginning of the new year...
an official holiday in New Zealand. In 2006, Māori Language Commission
Maori Language Commission
New Zealand's Māori Language Commission is an autonomous crown entity set up under the Māori Language Act 1987 with the following functions:...
er Haami Piripi made such a proposal http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0606/S00237.htm. Also, following the death of Sir Edmund Hillary, the Green Party
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
proposed a public holiday in his honour http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0801/S00088.htm.
Proposals for abolition of holidays
Some holidays are seen as celebrating events or ideals which are seen by a minority of people as no longer relevant, and suggestions have been made that they be abolished.From the 1950s to the 1970s it was frequently suggested that the Provincial Anniversary holidays be abolished, as the provinces had not existed for many decades. Before Waitangi Day was made a national public holiday it was sometimes suggested that a Waitangi Day holiday should replace the anniversary days, and the Waitangi Day Act
Waitangi Day Act
There have been two Waitangi Day Acts passed by the New Zealand Parliament: the Waitangi Day Act 1960 and the Waitangi Day Act 1976. Neither made the sixth of February a public holiday; this was done by the New Zealand Day Act 1973. The first Waitangi Day Act was a token gesture towards...
1960 made provision for this. Waitangi Day was eventually made an additional holiday and the provincial holidays lived on, primarily because most regions had long established events on those weekends.
A small minority of people advocate the abolition of the Waitangi Day holiday, but it is regularly suggested that a less controversial day, such as Anzac Day (25 April) or Dominion Day (26 September), be made New Zealand's national day.
External links
- Government Holidays Act website
- New Zealand public holiday dates in iCalendarICalendariCalendar is a computer file format which allows Internet users to send meeting requests and tasks to other Internet users, via email, or sharing files with an extension of .ics...
format - 2009 to 2011 State School Terms and Holidays - by NZ Ministry of Education
- New Zealand public holidays - specific dates for the current year (New Zealand Department of Labour)
- New Zealand public holidays - specific dates for future years (New Zealand Department of Labour)
New Zealand list of Unofficial Observances