This week, the ACT, NSW and SA will all get a long weekend starting on Saturday October 5 through to Monday October 7 – Labour Day celebrates victory for the 19th century workers who fought for the eight-hour working day.
Motorists in NSW should be warned double demerit points are in place from midnight Friday October 4 through to midnight Monday October 7.
You can cop double demerit points for speeding, using your mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt or helmet.
Similarly to NSW, the ACT does have double demerit points in place, again from October 4 until, and including, October 7.
When do other states observe Labour Day?
While South Australia, who along with NSW and the ACT will be observing Labour Day weekend, the State does not penalise motorists with double demerits points during long weekends.
Other states around Australia celebrate Labour Day too, however at various times throughout the year. In Western Australia, Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday of March. Victoria celebrates on the following weekend, the second Monday of March. Both states have a public holiday on their respective Mondays.
Tasmania also has Labour Day fall on the second weekend of March and Tasmanians get a public holiday on March 11 next year, however they celebrate under a different name – Eight Hours Day.
Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrate on the same day – the Monday following the first weekend in May – but the Northern Territory also has a different name for Labour Day. They call it May Day. Next year, the public holiday falls on May 4.
