Darebin Council votes on supporting a move to mark the beginning of NAIDOC Week with a public holiday

A Darebin councillor says we have a public holiday for a horse race and a footy game, but it’s “absolutely bizarre” not to have one to celebrate Indigenous culture.

Darebin councillors will vote on writing to the Premier’s office proposing a public holiday to mark NAIDOC week.

An inner-city councillor’s push for a public holiday to acknowledge NAIDOC Week and celebrate Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander culture and history has been slammed as “unhinged” and “divisive”.

Darebin councillor Susan Rennie wants the council to write to the Premier’s office in support of a public holiday commemorating Australia’s First Nations people and standing in solidarity with Indigenous communities.

Cr Rennie said the date of the public holiday was yet to be discussed, but it would not impact other public holidays.

“We are proposing a completely new day to commemorate NAIDOC Week,” she said.

“I think it is absolutely bizarre that we have a public holiday for a horse race and for a football game, but not for the Indigenous communities of Australia.

“It’s a huge oversight, so I think a public holiday is more than a reasonable request and definitely something that most Australians would get behind.”

The item to be discussed at Monday’s council meeting was put forward following recommendations by the Darebin Aboriginal Advisory Committee.

Ratepayers Victoria vice president Dean Hurlston said the proposal was “ridiculous”.

“This is an absolute waste of time, it has nothing to do with the local councils,” he said.

“Councils have nothing to do with public holidays, and they, as a singular council can’t ask the state government to introduce a public holiday.

“It’s a distraction from what they should be focused on — rubbish, roads and rates.”

Mr Hurlston said the impact of Darebin supporting Indigenous communities on this would be minimal.

“The government doesn’t do anything it doesn’t want to do, and if Indigenous communities want a public holiday, they should raise it themselves,” he said.

“The state government doesn’t listen to councils. Why would they listen to Darebin?”

Director of the Foundations of Western Civilisation Program at the Institute of Public Affairs, Dr Bella d’Abrera, said the country already has a day of celebration.

“We already have a day to come together and celebrate achievements in our communities and it’s called Australia Day, which a majority of Australians support as our national day,” she said.

“It is a disgrace that Darebin councillors use divisive debates such this to hide behind because they have been caught out bullying and fighting among each other. In fact, their performance is so bad that the even the Andrews Government has appointed a municipal monitor to make sure they do their job.”

“This completely unhinged Greens and Labor-dominated council has completely forgotten what its purpose is.”

The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation has been contacted for comment.

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