Australia Day 2021: Ballarat fireworks display cancelled

Ballarat’s Australia Day fireworks have been cancelled in a bid to improve the council’s relationship with Indigenous communities.

City of Ballarat cancels Australia Day fireworks.

Ballarat’s Australia Day fireworks display will no longer be held out of respect for Indigenous communities.

Councillors have decided a culturally significant event will take the place of fireworks on January 26, with the $40,000 display likely to be moved to another date such as New Year’s Eve or the Begonia Festival.

Mayor Daniel Moloney said the nation’s past at times was “shameful and disgraceful” and councillors had acted with their “hearts” to improving the relationship with Indigenous people.

“We now have the opportunity in 2020 to demonstrate leadership and to demonstrate through our actions that we do care for our aboriginal population, we do want to do better,” he said.

“We need to really commit to genuine reconciliation.

“We deserve the chance to celebrate; it’s just not on this day … it’s almost like celebrating on Anzac Day or Remembrance Day.”

The Koorie Engagement Action Group, an advisory committee to the City of Ballarat, recommended scrapping the fireworks.

A former co-chair of the committee said in submissions, the lead up to Australia Day was painful, and was not an occasion to celebrate “genocide and murder”.

Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Paul Davis said it was “disappointing” the council hadn’t spoken to his organisation before proceeding with a decision.

“I think that’s respectful that they should at least consult and see what the traditional owners think,” he said.

“Most councils have regular dialogue with their traditional owners, so we’d like to see some more regular dialogue with the City of Ballarat.”

The council officer report recommended a decision on the fireworks be deferred until adequate community consultation had been undertaken, and noted as a result of the coronavirus restrictions, would have been unlikely for the event to be held next year.

The scheduled Survival Day Dawn ceremony will most likely take place online.