Maribyrnong City Council look at cancelling Australia Day, citizenship ceremony

An inner-city Melbourne Council — which takes in the seat of Labor bigwig Bill Shorten — is looking to move Australia Day.

An inner-city Melbourne Council has joined a growing contingent of councils who are looking to shift the traditional Australian Day celebrations to be more inclusive.

Maribyrnong City Council voted unanimously earlier this week to support a motion which will see them advocate for changing the date of Australia Day and scrapping citizenship ceremonies from the occasion.

The move will see them advocate thos positions to local member Bill Shorten as well as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Citizenship Minister Andrew Giles and Indigenous Minister Linda Burney among seven recommendations.

“This is still pretty much the start of the journey, I know we’ve been going on it for some time now but when it comes to reconciliation there is still some way to go,” Cr Simon Crawford said.

“The most important bit is the advocacy, I really hope the Albanese government takes leadership in supporting us on this, the government needs to show it is very different from the old federal government.

“The nation is moving and it is important the government supports it, that needs to include reinstating the authority of the other councils who have been disallowed from running citizenship ceremonies because of their leadership on this matter.”

EARLIER

An inner-city Melbourne council — which takes in the seat of senior federal Labor MP Bill Shorten — is considering scrapping citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day as well as having the controversial date changed.

Maribyrnong City Council is set to consider whether it should advocate for the removal of the requirement to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

It has been recommended by council officer that it writes to the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, as well as Immigration and Citizenship Minister Andrew Giles, Indigenous Minister Linda Burney and Maribyrnong federal Labor MP Bill Shorten to advocate for the power over whether to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.

The proposal’s seven recommendations also includes that the council writes to those ministers to consider changing the date of Australia Day to one “more suitable” for all Australians.

The council has previously said that changing the date of Australia Day was not a matter for it to decide.

The idea is part of a wide range proposed after the council resolved in March last year to re-evaluate how it recognises Australia Day with input from First Nations people.

“I think having the conversation is the most important part and I think all systematic change is when you can bring people along and you do that in conversation,” Cr Sarah Carter said at the time.

“If we look to where we are now from where we were 10 years ago, we’ve come along way.

“I think this might be something that takes another generation for us to fully respond to this issue in a way that reflects or addresses the sensitivities (of this issue).”

A poll conducted by the council found that 80 per cent of respondents wanted the organisation to “reconsider” how it acknowledges Australia Day.

If the item is approved, the council will also allow a first nations person to perform a welcome to country, smoking ceremony at the citizenship ceremonies and continue to fly flags at half-mast on Australia Day. 

Mr Giles, Mr Shorten and Ms Burney have been approached for comment.