City of Melbourne could scrap Australia Day, lobby for new date

Lord Mayor Sally Capp wants Melbourne’s celebration of Australia Day reviewed, amid concerns the date is the anniversary of an “invasion”. What do you think? Take our poll.

A motion before City of Melbourne says there’s growing national sentiment to change Australia Day.

Melbourne City Council could dump Australia Day celebrations and lobby for the national day to be moved to another date.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp wants the city council’s celebration of Australia Day reviewed amid concerns the date is widely seen as “divisive” and the anniversary of an “invasion”.

But a public affairs think tank has slammed the “fringe view of an elite minority”, saying most Australians supported the national day on January 26.

In a motion to go before a City of Melbourne meeting on Tuesday, the Lord Mayor said there was growing national sentiment that the date be changed to one that can unify all Australians “for celebration and what it means to be Australian”.

“For many people in the City of Melbourne and across Australia this date is divisive, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is marked as the anniversary of invasion and a day of mourning,” it said.

Sally Capp wants the city council’s celebration of Australia Day reviewed. Picture: Getty

Seconded by Greens councillor Dr Olivia Ball, the motion calls on management to review the council’s approach to January 26, including events, communications and community engagement.

“And identify alternative options for council consideration,” it said.

But director of the foundations of Western civilisation program at the Institute of Public Affairs, Dr Bella d’Abrera, said there is no growing sentiment to change the date of Australia Day.

“The majority of Australians are proud to be Australian, are proud of our history and believe that Australia has a history to be proud of,” she said.

“This is a fringe view of an elite minority which hates Australia.”

A poll commissioned by IPA in January found that about two-thirds of Australians supported the January 26 national day, with only 15 per cent wanting the date changed.

If endorsed at Tuesday’s meeting, the council will also consider ways to engage with the state and federal governments on reconciliation with “First Nations peoples”, including involvement in the movement to change the date.

Ms Capp said that for many people January 26 was divisive, and council was seeking ways to create unity in celebrating what it means to be Australian.”

“As a Council, we are working to advance reconciliation and strengthen ties between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people for the benefit of all Australians,” she said.

If Melbourne scrapped Australia Day, it would follow Greens-dominated councils like Yarra, Darebin and Moreland.

The Morrison government stripped the right of some councils to hold citizenship ceremonies because of the issue.