Senator Sarah Henderson says citizenship ceremonies should return to Australia Day, hits out at local Labor MPs for ‘fuelling division’

There is heated debate on whether Geelong region councils should be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26, as one local representative says Labor is failing to ‘protect’ our national day. HAVE YOUR SAY.

Geelong-based senator Sarah Henderson has hit out at Labor over its approach to Australia Day. Picture: David Smith.

Local Labor MPs have been accused of fuelling division within the Geelong community by allowing councils to abandon Australia Day citizenship ceremonies.

Senator Sarah Henderson has hit out at federal representatives Richard Marles and Libby Coker over what she said was their failure to “protect” Australia Day.

Her comments come after the Albanese government revoked a rule soon after coming to power that effectively forced councils to hold the ceremonies on January 26.

In May, Geelong council voted to cease reference to Australia Day, opting instead to call it “January 26”, while the Surf Coast Shire will fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags at half-mast.

Both councils have cancelled citizenship ceremonies for Australia Day, with Surf Coast opting for January 25 and Geelong January 29.

The Borough of Queenscliffe scrapped its Australia Day ceremony in 2021 and renamed its Australia Day Awards program the Community Service Awards.

Golden Plains Shire will hold its citizenship ceremony on January 23.

More than 80 councils nationally have moved citizenship ceremonies from January 26.

“Australia Day is a significant day of national unity and pride including for the thousands of Australians who become citizens on this day,” Ms Henderson said.

“The undermining of Australia Day is all part of Labor’s covert plan to change the date.”

Ms Henderson cited comments made by Ms Coker in 2018 when she was a Surf Coast councillor.

“We do need to look at changing the date,” Ms Coker said at the time.

Libby Coker and Richard Marles. Picture: Mark Wilson.

“The date on which we currently celebrate Australia Day is highly symbolic and it is worthy of debate given that so many of our First Australians find January 26 offensive.”

In response to Ms Henderson’s comments, Ms Coker said she respected the right of local councils to decide how they recognised Australia Day.

“I understand there are passionate views on both sides of this issue,” she said.

“I am listening to my community and our local First Nations people, but at the same time our government is focused on the cost-of-living challenges facing people across the nation.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Marles said councils were free to commemorate special occasions however they wanted.

“It is the government’s view that Australia Day should continue to be held on January 26,” she said.

“As the Prime Minister has said on many, many occasions – the government has no plans to change the date of Australia Day.”

Geelong council’s decision to change the date of its citizenship ceremony was based on 957 survey responses, including 447 from First Nations People, it received during a six-month “community conversation”.

The feedback has also prompted council to lobby the federal government to have “a conversation about changing the date or changing the day”.

Councillor Eddy Kontelj unsuccessfully tried to recommence “extensive community engagement” on the matter at the December council meeting.

Ms Henderson said council’s consultation was with less than half a per cent of Geelong’s total population.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said a Coalition government would again force councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.

“Australia Day is a proud day for the many thousands of people who will join our multicultural family and become Australian citizens – it should be respected,” he said.

Originally published as Senator Sarah Henderson says citizenship ceremonies should return to Australia Day, hits out at local Labor MPs for ‘fuelling division’