If you're one of the many New Zealanders back at work today, it's time to get the calendars out, circle some public holidays, and stretch those annual leave days as far as possible
Are you back at the office for 2024? Me too!
Are you already thinking about the next break from work? Also, me too!
If you love a long weekend, 2024 presents a couple of opportunities for a four-day break, as well as some longer stretches away from work that use minimal leave.
Here's how the public holidays fall this year so you can start planning that time away.
Taking advantage of regional days
A few of the regional anniversary days lend themselves to especially long breaks with fewer days of annual leave.
People living at the top of the country and those in Nelson can once again enjoy an extended holiday given their regional holidays' close proximity to Waitangi Day (February 6).
Both Auckland Anniversary Day and Nelson Anniversary Day fall on Monday, January 29 in 2024, with Waitangi Day falling a little over a week later.
This means people in those areas can potentially get 11 days away from work (including the weekends) using just five days of leave.
Meanwhile, the people of Otago can also enjoy a longer break using fewer days of leave, with Easter falling close to the region's anniversary day in 2024.
Otago Anniversary Day is observed on Monday, March 25, with Easter beginning on Friday, March 29. This means people in the region can get 10 days off work (including the weekends) using just three days of annual leave, from March 26-28.
Waitangi Day
With Waitangi Day landing on a Tuesday in 2024, workers can take Monday, February 5 off and gift themselves an easy four-day weekend.
An Easter bonus for the south
Easter will be observed from Friday, March 29 to Monday, April 1 in 2024.
With Southland Anniversary Day falling on Tuesday, April 2, those in the far south will get an extra long Easter break this time around.
Anzac Day
Anzac Day (April 25) falls on a Thursday in 2024, offering up another opportunity for a cheeky four-day weekend if people take the Friday off work.
An extra long Labour Weekend in Hawke's Bay
Labour Day is Monday, October 28 this year.
With Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day on Friday, October 25, people in that region again get an extra long Labour Weekend.
Other dates for the calendar:
King's Birthday falls on Monday, June 3 in 2024.
Matariki falls on Friday, June 28 in 2024.
You may not be able to stretch these two public holidays out further but you can at least try and get the jump on some long weekend accommodation before it all books out.
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Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.5% Yes
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14.1% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
It’s Riddle Time – You Might Need an Extra Cup of Coffee!
Nobody has ever walked this way. Which way is it?
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒: 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐁𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝟏𝟕-𝟏𝟖-𝟏𝟗 𝐍𝐎𝐕 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒!
Auckland Transport is dropping the Mt Eden/Epsom/southern area from the OuterLink bus route as from Sunday 17 November 2024.
If your bus trip is impacted by this change in the OuterLink bus route (eg, if you have to catch a different bus or if you have to interchange buses once or twice) and you are not sure what to do, we urge you to catch your new bus (or buses) on Sunday 17 November, Monday 18 November and Tuesday 19 November.
This is because Auckland Transport will have Ambassadors out and about on those THREE days to help people with their new bus journeys! (AT may then have ambassadors out for an extra day or two, but this will depend on perceived need).
You can already plan your new journey on the Auckland Transport web site. The Journey Planner tool has been updated (but make sure you input a date from 17 November onwards). Or you can contact Auckland Transport with any enquiries as you would usually do, eg, phone 09 366 6400 or live chat at at.govt.nz... etc.
The Mt Eden Village Business Association knows that the southern half of the OuterLink bus route is heavily used by school children, the elderly, people for whom English is a second language, and other vulnerable groups. So, if you do see anyone who is confused by these changes, please be as helpful as you can. Thank you!