‘I hope every council will also celebrate Australia Day for what we are and what the future holds’: Kennett

As the son of immigrant parents who arrived in Australia with a suitcase and a dream, Geelong’s mayor was brought up believing he lived in a lucky country that deserved celebrating. Now other councils are being urged to follow his lead.

One of Victoria’s largest councils has voted to embrace Australia Day again, with its mayor saying “we’ve got a lot to be grateful for”.

Geelong residents are now being urged to celebrate the national day, as they did in the past.

But while the City of Greater Geelong on Tuesday night voted to formally recognise January 26 as Australia Day, Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece said his council had no plans to change its stance and actively encourage celebrations.

A Herald Sun online poll of more than 3700 readers showed 95 per cent support for keeping January 26 as the national day.

And Geelong’s move has prompted calls for other councils to follow suit and push back on anti-Australia Day sentiment, such as referring to it as “Invasion Day”.

Geelong is bringing back Australia Day, and Lucy Skewes, Baz, Woody, Mack, Wal, Benji and Ted are ready to celebrate. Picture: Mark Stewart

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj encouraged residents of his sweeping municipality to celebrate the date next year, despite the changes voted on at Tuesday’s stormy council meeting not coming into effect until 2026.

A citizenship ceremony on the day will return, and the council will stop lobbying the federal government to change the date.

“We’ve got a lot to be grateful for, and we should celebrate at every opportunity, particularly on Australia Day,” Cr Kontelj said.

He added the change was not intended to be disrespectful to anyone in the community, including First Nations people.

“This will not sit comfortably with a portion of the community and I respect that,” he said.

Cr Kontelj told the Herald Sun on Wednesday night it was up to individual councils to decide whether, and how, they wanted to celebrate Australia Day but he would be “surprised” by those that decided not to.

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj, believes we live in a lucky country that should be celebrated. Picture: Alison Wynd

He said the Geelong council had “tapped into the silent majority” by voting to celebrate the day.

As the son of immigrant parents, who had arrived in Australia with nothing but their suitcases and a dream for a better life, he had grown up believing that if you worked hard, you could achieve anything in Australia – and you were very fortunate to live in such a lucky country.

The son of hardworking immigrants, Cr Kontelj is leading the way in restoring Australia Day celebrations after “tapping into the majority”. Picture: Alan Barber

The Geelong council motion to observe and celebrate Australia Day was moved by the mayor’s brother, Eddy Kontelj.

Strathbogie Shire Council in central Victoria, which encompasses Avenel, Euroa, Strathbogie, Longwood and Nagambie, passed a similar motion at its Tuesday night meeting.

“We have listened to community feedback and recognise the importance of Australia Day to many in our community while also being aware of broader conversations about this date,” Strathbogie Shire Council Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy explained.

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett called for all Victorian councils to follow Geelong’s lead.

Former Victorian premier, Jeff Kennett says all councils should follow Geelong’s lead. Picture: Glenn Hunt

“It is time Australians of all ages and all creeds, regardless of where we’ve come from, open our eyes and have a look around at what’s happening around the world and say to ourselves, ‘what a lucky population, what a lucky country we are, and stop all this divisiveness,” he said.

“So I congratulate the Geelong council. I hope every council will also celebrate Australia Day for what we are and what the future holds.

“And if councils don’t want to celebrate Australia Day, then please be reminded they are a creature of a state government act of Parliament, and they would be very fortunate that I was not the premier of the day if they refused to celebrate Australia Day, generously, openly with and for their entire community.”

Eloise McCormack and Lyla Marinovic have their national flags ready to celebrate Australia Day in Geelong. Picture: Mark Stewart

Melbourne Council currently holds citizenship ceremonies and other events, including celebrations of Aboriginal culture, on January 26 but has advocated for the federal government to change the date of the national holiday.

It also refers to the day only as January 26, not Australia Day.

Mr Reece said there were no set plans to change his council’s approach to Australia Day, given Geelong’s decision, and declined to comment further.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece says there are no set plans to change his council’s approach to January 26. Picture: Jason Edwards

Deputy executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs Daniel Wild said Geelong council should be congratulated “for standing up to the divisive agenda by the elites and activists who want to cancel our national day”.

“Australians have had a gut full of identity politics, and IPA research shows nearly two thirds want to celebrate our national day on the 26th of January,” he said.

“Geelong council’s move should be a catalyst for other local governments to listen to mainstream Australians who are proud of their country and are sick of the political class running it down.”

This week federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton said he won’t stand beside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at press conferences if he becomes prime minister, insisting Australians should be unified under a single national flag.

Mr Dutton said he strongly believed “we’re a country under one flag”, and standing beside multiple flags was “dividing our country unnecessarily”.