Borough joins the ban on Australia Day ceremonies

A G21 municipality has canned Australia Day ceremonies, with councillors voting to change the policy at a recent meeting in a bid to become more inclusive.

THE Borough of Queenscliffe’s annual Australia Day ceremony will be scrapped in a bid to become more inclusive.

Councillors recently voted in favour of canning the ceremony while renaming the Australia Day Awards program to the Community Service Awards.

The borough is the last local council in the region to put a stop to the ceremonies as a result of the growing unease around celebrating the day.

Economic and community development leader Shannon Maloney said a review of the 2021 event indicated that stakeholders wished to see a focus on community achievements more generally.

Borough of Queenscliffe Mayor Ross Ebbels. Picture: Alan Barber

“Council officers noted that over the past few years there appeared to be a shift in the engagement and participation in the event,” she said.

“While seen as a favourable recognition program, feedback received from stakeholders revealed a desire to move the community awards to another date which may be seen as more inclusive to the entire community and increase participation in the acknowledgment and celebration of service in our community.”

The Australia Day Awards policy was first adopted by council in August 2003 and last revised in September 2017.

A council spokesman said the updated awards will be held later in the year.

“Council has shifted the date of its annual community awards ceremony in response to feedback from local community groups,” they said.

“This will allow us to link the ceremony to our overall celebration of volunteers in our community during National Volunteers Week in May.”

The Surf Coast Shire stopped hosting Australia Day ceremonies this year in a move to further distance themselves from controversy around the date.

Culture and community general manager Chris Pike said changes have been made to how the Shire recognises January 26 in recent years with further discussions to take place in the upcoming council meeting.

“Council launched its Local Legends program in 2020 to acknowledge the many outstanding

contributions people make in our community,” he said.

“This was preferred to a one-off citizen or event of the year award on January 26.

“The Local Legends program recognises people at various times throughout the year through

local media and council communication channels.”

At this stage, the shire and the City of Greater Geelong continue to host annual citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

A spokesman from the borough confirmed that citizenship ceremonies will be held at the request of new citizens.

Originally published as Borough joins the ban on Australia Day ceremonies