New public holiday for the ACT

Easter Sunday will become a public holiday in the ACT, the territory's government says.

Announcing the new public holiday at the ACT Labor Conference on Saturday, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said there needed to be "clear recognition" of the cost of having to work outside the traditional Monday to Friday working week.

Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association NSW/ACT Secretary Bernie Smith said the new public holiday, starting in 2016, would allow workers the opportunity to take time off to celebrate Easter or be adequately compensated for working while most of the country was relaxing.