A national day of mourning will be observed on Thursday, September 22, to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
It will be a one-off public holiday in all states and territories.
An image of the Queen is projected on the Sydney Opera House.Credit:Wolter Peeters
What will happen on the day? There are no official protocols for the day of mourning; it will be just like any other public holiday. Any decision to suspend an event is that of the event organiser.
A national memorial service will take place in parliament’s Great Hall in Canberra, and the public is invited to join in observing a minute’s silence at 11am. The service will be live-streamed.
What does it mean for NSW? The state government has confirmed Thursday will be a normal trading day, so shops and retailers can operate as they would on a standard public holiday.
It will be up to businesses to set their hours because it is not a restricted trading day. Appointment-based businesses will need to decide whether to cancel bookings and any businesses that want to remain open will need to pay penalty rates to their workers.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip on the royal train at Sydney’s Central Station in 1954.Credit:Courtesy of State Records NSW
Transport for NSW has confirmed there will be a double demerit period to coincide with the public holiday from 12am on Wednesday until 11:59pm on Sunday – a total of five days.
How can I express my condolences in Sydney? A range of commemorative services have been organised, both on the public holiday and the weekend.
Floral tributes and the condolence book at Government House closed on Monday but mourners can still sign an online condolence book.
Will hospitals be affected? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expected hospitals to remain unaffected and elective surgeries to go ahead.
However, Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledged some surgeries were being cancelled because of the public holiday.
What services will be closed on the public holiday? Post offices across the country will be closed. In NSW, banks and financial institutions will be closed. Retail and hospitality openings will vary.
Why wasn’t the public holiday on the day of the Queen’s funeral? Protocol dictates the official day of mourning in Australia falls on the day after the governor-general returns from the funeral.
Is Friday a public holiday too? NSW residents will head back to work and school on Friday – unlike our Victorian neighbours who will enjoy a four-day weekend thanks to the AFL grand final public holiday on Friday.
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