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Holidays - New Zealand


Fixed Public Holidays
1 January New Year's Day1  
2 January Day after New Year's Day1
6 February Waitangi Day
25 April ANZAC Day
1st Monday in June Queen's Birthday
4th Monday in October Labour Day
25 December Christmas Day1  
26 December Boxing Day1
1 New Year's Day and the day after are moved to the Monday (and Tuesday) following if they occur on a weekend. If Saturday or Sunday is New Year's Day, then Monday and Tuesday are holidays. If Friday is New Year's Day, then Monday is given in lieu of the 2nd day holiday. The same rule applies to Christmas and Boxing Day.

Moveable Public Holidays
                 
Feast 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Good Friday 28 Mar 10 Apr 2 Apr 21 Apr 13 Apr 29 Mar 18 Apr 9 Apr
Easter   30 Mar 12 Apr 4 Apr 23 Apr 15 Apr 31 Mar 20 Apr 11 Apr
Easter Monday 31 Mar 13 Apr 5 Apr 24 Apr 16 Apr 1 Apr 21 Apr 12 Apr

Anniversary Days

These are the Anniversary Days of the former provinces of 19th century New Zealand, not of the modern districts or regions.

Local areas observe Anniversary Days but there is some difficulty in predicting the date of observance. The law states that

    (a) If that day falls on a Friday or a Saturday or a Sunday, those provisions shall apply on the next succeeding Monday as if it were that anniversary day:
    (b) If that day falls on a Tuesday or a Wednesday or a Thursday, those provisions shall apply on the immediately preceding Monday as if it were that anniversary day.

This rule is described below as "Monday nearest".

Following is a list showing the offical date on which these days are supposed to fall and comments on the actual observance, then a table of actual and projected observances, 1996 - 2004.

Area Official Date Comment
Auckland 29 January Monday nearest.
Canterbury (North Central) 16 December Actual observance is Christchurch Show Day, the 3rd Friday after Labour Day.
Canterbury (South) 16 December Actual observance is Dominion Day, the 4th Monday in September.
Chatham Islands 30 November Monday nearest.
Hawkes' Bay 1 November Moves to Friday before Labour Day. May vary within the region.
Marlborough 1 November Observed 1st Monday after Labour Day.
Nelson 1 February Monday nearest.
Otago 23 March Monday nearest. May vary within the region.
Southland 17 January? Monday nearest. Exact date is not certain. May vary within the region.
Taranaki 31 March Monday nearest. Moved to the 2nd Monday in March if it coincides with Easter Monday.
Wellington 22 January Monday nearest.
Westland 1 December Monday nearest. Varies throughout Westland but Greyland observes the official day.

 

Area 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Auckland 29 Jan 27 Jan 26 Jan 1 Feb 31 Jan 29 Jan 28 Jan 27 Jan 26 Jan
Canterbury (North Central) 8 Nov 14 Nov 13 Nov 12 Nov 10 Nov 9 Nov 15 Nov 14 Nov 12 Nov
Canterbury (South) 23 Sep 22 Sep 28 Sep 27 Sep 25 Sep 24 Sep 23 Sep 22 Sep 27 Sep
Chatham Islands 2 Dec 1 Dec 30 Nov 29 Nov 27 Nov 3 Dec 2 Dec 1 Dec 29 Nov
Hawkes' Bay 25 Oct 24 Oct 23 Oct 22 Oct 20 Oct 19 Oct 25 Oct 24 Oct 22 Oct
Marlborough 4 Nov 3 Nov 2 Nov 1 Nov 30 Oct 29 Oct 4 Nov 3 Nov 1 Nov
Nelson 29 Jan 3 Feb 2 Feb 31 Jan 27 Jan 29 Jan 4 Feb 3 Feb 2 Feb
Otago 25 Mar 24 Mar 23 Mar 22 Mar 20 Mar 26 Mar 25 Mar 24 Mar 22 Mar
Southland 15 Jan 20 Jan 19 Jan 18 Jan 17 Jan 15 Jan 14 Jan 20 Jan 19 Jan
Taranaki 10 Mar 9 Mar 8 Mar 13 Mar 12 Mar 11 Mar 10 Mar 8 Mar
Wellington 22 Jan 20 Jan 19 Jan 25 Jan 24 Jan 22 Jan 21 Jan 20 Jan 19 Jan
Westland 2 Dec 1 Dec 30 Nov 29 Nov 4 Dec 3 Dec 2 Dec 1 Dec 29 Nov

About all that can be said about this is that there is a predilection for long weekends!

Non-holiday Observances

2nd Sunday in May Mother's Day   icon

Weekend

Saturday, Sunday

Time Zones

Auckland:

GMT+12. The clock goes forward 1 hour at 2:00 on the 1st Sunday in October and back to normal time at 2:00 on the 1st Sunday in March.

Chatham:
GMT+12:45. The clock goes forward 1 hour at 2:45 on the 1st Sunday in October and back to normal time at 2:45 on the 1st Sunday in March.

Niue:
GMT-11. There is no summer time clock change.

Fakaofo:
GMT-10. There is no summer time clock change.


Religion

Christian (Western)