Dubbo Regional Council: Wellington celebration to be held on eve of public holiday, Dubbo to be held on national day
A regional council has backflipped on a recommendation to host Australia Day celebrations on the eve of the public holiday after public blowback. Here’s the latest.
Dubbo News
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A regional council in the state’s central west has backflipped on their recommendation to host Australia Day celebrations on the eve of the national holiday after public outrage.
Given January 26 will fall on a Sunday next year, Dubbo Regional Council previously recommended holding the Australia Day civic ceremony and event for Wellington on Friday and Dubbo’s event on Saturday evening.
But at Thursday night’s council meeting, council decided to host the ceremony in Dubbo at 8am on January 26, and to celebrate Wellington’s event the night before at Cameron Park.
The 2025 Australian of the Year awards will also be announced on the evening of January 25.
Council has held Wellington’s ceremony on the eve of Australia for the past two years.
Cr Shibly Chowdhury told this publication that while he understood the sensitivity concerns regarding Australia Day, he had received feedback from Dubbo ratepayers to continue to host the celebration on the national holiday.
“Ideally, I would have liked a way for both communities to be involved on the same day, which is why I voted against the motion for Wellington’s event to be held on January 25, but I believe the final outcome to be a fair compromise given the original motion to move the Wellington event to January 24 and Dubbo’s event on January 25,” Mr Chowdhury said.
“I think Australia Day is a big celebration.
“I have big respect for Indigenous communities … I believe as a councillor, we have to represent and listen to the community.”
Indigenous councillor Lewis Burns, who voted against the motion, told the chambers the public holiday was a day of mourning for Aboriginal people.
“If we started making moves to change it, why are we stopping that?” he asked the chambers.
“From the Aboriginal perspective, Aboriginal people would rather see that date changed.”
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