Australia’s states and territories have been united as a nation under one flag since January 1, 1901. But there are many ways in which they are not united. Many overseas visitors to our shores are incredulous when they discover that, during the summer months, we have no fewer than five different time zones! And let’s not get started on railway gauges!
And then there’s Labour Day. Not only are our states and territories unable to agree on a date to mark it, they cannot even concur on a name. In Tasmania, it’s officially known as ‘Eight Hour Day’, in the Northern Territory, ‘May Day’. Everywhere else across this wide brown land, it’s designated as Labour Day.
All three names have claims to legitimacy. The public holiday was born of a fight by the working class to limit work time to eight hours a day, with eight hours for recreation and eight hours for rest. The May Day name has its origins in US trade unions designating May 1 as a day in support of workers in 1889. By 1891, Queensland workers were doing the same on that date.
Which brings us to the issue of dates. In line with the May Day origins, Queensland and the Northern Territory now celebrate the day on the first Monday of May each year. However, even Queensland has strayed from that date over the years. The Sunshine State joined New South Wales, the ACT and South Australia in marking the day on the first Monday in October before reverting to May in 2016.
Why the first Monday in October? The answer to that is not clear (to me at least).
As for the other states, it was apparently decided to move the date to the second Monday in March after World War II. Again, the reasons for this are unclear. This remains the Labour Day date in Victoria and Tasmania, but Western Australia goes it alone, celebrating it on the first Monday in March.
So, if you’re from Perth, I hope you had a good day on Monday. If you’re a Victorian or Taswegian, enjoy your day off next Monday. Queenslanders and Northern Territorians, you’ve only got eight more weeks to wait.
To all other Australians, your time will come – in October.
Did you know Australia had so many Labour Day variations? Are you happy with the date in your state of territory?
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