Holidays Act Headache Finally Over As Leave Reform DeliveredHon Brooke van VeldenMinister for Workplace Relations and Safety29 July 2026The Employment Leave Bill has passed its third and final reading, ushering in a long-awaited overhaul of the law that provides employees with employment leave entitlements, like annual and sick leave, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced today. This Government has listened, and I am proud that this reform has finally been delivered.” Advertisement - scroll to continue reading“Achieving this milestone for workplaces is thanks to the hard work and generous time of those who have shared the vision of a better leave system, and have contributed their expertise and experience to the policy process. The changes to the new leave system will have a 24-month lead-in to allow time for a careful and managed transition by businesses and payroll providers, and there will be an additional year after the Act comes into force to update leave terms in employment agreements. Initial guidance and a timeline for further guidance and resources will be available once the Bill receives Royal assent.