This city council has cancelled Australia Day celebrations
Last night, Yarra City councillors voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day, cancelling future celebrations and banning citizenship ceremonies from being held on that day, starting next year, out of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The proposal passed unanimously, despite pressure from the federal government against the move.
Councillor Mi-Lin Chen Yi Mei said it was an important step forward, saying the current date simply isn’t inclusive. “It’s really an opportunity to engage with the community and to educate them on indigenous affairs,” she said.
This morning on the Today show, host Karl Stefanovic spoke out passionately in support of changing the date, but revealing it took some time to change his mind.
“There is an argument in this country for Australia Day to be moved,” he began. “What do you think? My initial response is what many would think ... ‘C'mon, leave it alone. Indigenous and Torres Strait islanders, this is our day, all of us. Everyone come together. Commemorate but also celebrate. After all, that’s what we do on Anzac Day."
“But I’ve changed my mind. Having spoken to several people from those communities, I empathise. As hard as some want to ignore it, January 26 marks a day this land changed forever for one of the oldest and most beautiful cultures in the world."
“To this day, mortality rates for indigenous and Torres Strait islanders are alarming. It wasn’t until March 1962 the Menzies government finally gave the right to vote for all Aboriginal people. We look back at the horror of the Stolen Generation ... Earlier in the 20th century, the White Australia Policy, then we look at what happened in Tasmania."
“They are all facts and all incredibly painful. If we are to truly follow through with the apology and move forward together hand in hand, arm in arm, then I believe it must change. So let’s do it together. Certainly let’s debate it together.”
While there is certainly support for the idea of changing the date, Yarra Council’s vote has angered Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke, who has responded by urging other councils not to make the same decision.
“Local councils are now on notice that if they politicise Australian citizenship, the government will see it as a breach of the (Australian Citizenship Ceremonies) code and take the appropriate action,” he warned.
The threat doesn’t worry Mayor Amanda Stone, however, who told AAP there was nothing in the code that said councils were required to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. “The code actually says you shouldn’t use a ceremony to promote a political agenda or a religious agenda or commercial agenda,” she explained. “We wouldn’t be intending to do that. We are simply considering changing when we hold our first citizenship ceremony of the year.”
Do you think the date of Australia Day should be changed? If so, which date do you think would be more appropriate? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.