Easter 2024: Your state-by-state guide to retail trading rules

For many small and medium businesses across Australia, the Easter long weekend brings with it one of the biggest and busiest times of the year.

From getting orders out to their customers before the Easter break to getting their stores ready to welcome customers back straight after the holidays, some businesses will use the four days to have a much-deserved break with their families and friends, while others who can open will be going above and beyond for the Easter period.

Australian consumers will also be busy stocking up on groceries from their local supermarkets for Easter over the long weekend or even spending $62 on Easter chocolates.

While there is plenty of excitement in the air, businesses and customers need to remember that there are different laws when it comes to public holidays and Easter trading for each of the Australian states and territories.

To help businesses and customers navigate the trading restrictions, regulations and exemptions over the Easter period, SmartCompany has composed a list of the public holidays and trading hours across each state and territory.

Easter dates for 2024

Friday, March 29 — Good Friday

Saturday, March 30 — Easter Saturday

Sunday, March 31 — Easter Sunday

Monday, April 1 — Easter Monday

Tuesday, April 2 — Easter Tuesday (generally Tasmanian Public Service only)

Tasmania is the only state in Australia to observe the Tuesday after Easter as a public holiday and it’s only observed by the public sector in Tasmania.

Penalty rates for Easter trading

As well as being aware of public holidays and their right to be absent from work on a public holiday, employees should also check what pay and entitlements they are owed.

According to the FairWork Ombudsman’s website, employees get paid at least their base pay rate for all hours worked on public holidays.

For those needing assistance when it comes to determining employee entitlements over the Easter period, you can take a look at the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay calculator.

New South Wales’ Easter 2024 public holidays

Both Good Friday and Easter Sunday are considered ‘restricted’ trading days in New South Wales under the Retail Trading Act 2008.

Aside from some small shops, fruit and vegetable shops, chemists and petrol stations that are permitted to open their doors on these days during the Easter period, many businesses cannot trade on these days unless they have an exemption from NSW Fair Trading and have been given the green light to operate on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Non-exempt shops must remain closed on restricted trading days.

According to the NSW Government Fair Trading website, small shops are generally defined as employing four or fewer employees, with no more than two owners who share in the shop’s profits and can open on a restricted trading day without applying for an exemption.

Victoria’s Easter 2024 public holidays

Good Friday is a restricted trading day for Victoria during the Easter holidays, with the Shop Trading Reform Act 1996 prohibiting shops from trading on restricted trading days.

Chemists, petrol shops, restaurants, cafes and takeaway outlets are some of the certain types of shops under Victorian law that are exempt and can open on restricted trading days.

Also exempt are shops that have 20 or fewer persons employed in the shop on a restricted trading day or the number of persons employed by the shop (and its related entities) is no more than 100 during the seven days immediately before the restricted trading day.

The Business Victoria website also states that there are late-night trading and liquor restrictions in place for restricted trading days and some businesses such as cafes, bottle shops, restaurants and bars might have more restrictions when it comes to late-night trading and supplying alcohol on those days.

Queensland’s Easter 2024 public holidays

In Queensland, non-exempt shops must not open on Good Friday and independent retail shops must remain closed on Good Friday, unless they can trade without restriction as a predominately food and/or grocery store.

When it comes to Easter, trading hours depend on the category of the retail shop in Queensland.

With the exemption of the subcategory of independent retail shops, exempt shops, which are defined by the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990, have unrestricted trading hours and can trade during the Easter period.

Depending on the location or type of trading area, trading may be permitted for non-exempt shops on the other public holidays during the Easter period.

For licensed premises, specific trading hour restrictions apply.  

More information can be found on the Business Queensland website.

Australian Capital Territory’s Easter 2024 public holidays

While the Australian Capital Territory will be observing the four Easter public holidays, ACT trading hours are deregulated.

This means there are no restrictions on trading hours for Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, or Easter Monday.

Western Australia’s Easter 2024 public holidays

General retail shops in the Perth metropolitan area must be closed on Good Friday, with all shops regarded as general retail shops unless they are small or special retail shops, service stations or motor vehicle shops.

Retailers wanting to trade as a small or special retail shop must apply for a certificate according to Commerce WA, with special retail shops considered as necessary for emergency, convenience or recreational goods.

Shops that fall into this category can trade 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Small retail shops are defined as shops owned by up to six people who operate no more than four retail shops, in which up to 25 people work.

Under certain conditions extended trading permits are available and local government authorities outside the Perth metropolitan area can apply to Consumer Protection to extend the trading hours for general retail shops in their district. 

WA retailers and consumers should be aware that some regional local governments have permanent trading variations when it comes to general retail shops in their areas.

South Australia’s Easter 2024 public holidays

In South Australia, the trading hours for retailers in the state’s shopping districts are regulated by the Shop Trading Hours Act 1997 and the Shop Trading Hours Regulations 2018.

The location of a shop, its size and what it sells are the deciding factors when it comes to whether a shop is exempt or non-exempt from the state’s shop trading laws.

Retail trading laws apply to non-exempt shops, while an exempt shop can trade on any day of the year during hours that suit the needs of the business and customers.

However, temporary exemptions from the state’s legislated shop trading hours may be granted by the minister responsible for the Act, with retailers encouraged to contact SafeWork SA if they have any queries about the exemption application process.

Tasmania’s Easter 2024 public holidays

As well as the other Easter public holidays, Tasmania also observes Easter Tuesday, which is generally only observed by the public service sector according to the Statutory Holidays Act, 2000.

On Good Friday the Shop Trading Hours Act, 1984 places trading restrictions on large retailers and certain shops.

More information can be found at WorkCover Tasmania.

Northern Territory’s Easter 2024 public holidays

In the Northern Territory, there are no trading restrictions in place, and trading hours are deregulated, although there are rules about serving alcohol on Good Friday. The sale of takeaway liquor on Good Friday is prohibited.