One economist estimates that today's one-off public holiday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II will cost Australia's economy close to $2 billion in lost productivity.
The impact on sole trader Norma Dann is a microcosm of this economic toll.
When the public holiday was announced 11 days ago, the self employed handywoman had to decide whether she'd stick to doing the jobs she had scheduled. Some had been booked by clients months ago.
