Australia Day gala in London is cancelled over ‘sensitivities’

Australia Day celebrations in London have been cancelled for the first time in 20 years.

The annual Australia Day gala dinner in London has been cancelled by one of the country’s top diplomats citing “sensitivities” surrounding the controversial public holiday.

Stephen Smith, High Commissioner to the UK, announced the decision to axe the black tie event on Monday.

The dinner has been run by the not-for-profit Australia Day Foundation for the past 20 years in the Exhibition Hall of the Australian High Commission in central London.

A spokesperson told The Sydney Morning Herald: “It is well known that Australia Day touches on sensitivities for some Australians.

“The high commissioner is happy to acknowledge that was part of the decision-making process with respect to the various alternative dates suggested by the foundation.”

Stephen Smith High Commissioner to the UK has cancelled Australia Day celebrations. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Organiser of the event were told by Mr Smith it would not be appropriate to hold the 2024 event around January 26 — the date when the First Fleet’s landed in Sydney in 1788 and dubbed as Invasion Day by some Indigenous campaigners.

Each year on the Saturday closest to January 26, the event honours the longstanding relationship between Australian and UK, with funds going into scholarships for young Australians to study in Britain.

Celebrities have also been in attendance of the event in previous years with names including Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem and David Attenborough making an appearance.

Australian pop/rock duo the Veronicas perform at the Australia Day Gala Dinner in London 2016. Picture: David Dyson

The High Commission of Australia reportedly charged the charity a hefty fee of £29,000 ($55,000) to hold the event, instead of just the operating cost charge seen in previous years, as well as proposing the event be held in March.

“I was very disappointed to be told that it was not appropriate to have a function around Australia Day that might be interpreted as insensitive back in Australia,” Phil Aiken, founding member of the foundation told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“It’s been supported by the High Commission for 20 years, so it’s very sad.”

Bill Muirhead, global advertising industry magnate, who was one of the founding members of the foundation, has labelled the decision as “un-Australian.”

“The last time I checked, January 26 was still Australia Day,” Mr Muirhead told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has joined in on the outrage, taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his disapproval.

“The Prime Minister should direct his hand-picked High Commissioner to reverse this bad decision,” he wrote.

“Australia Day is our national day and it shouldn't be cancelled like this.”

The Prime Minister should direct his hand-picked High Commissioner to reverse this bad decision. Australia Day is our national day and it shouldn’t be cancelled like this. https://t.co/N8G2EpncNJ

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) December 10, 2023

Every year the lead up to the end of January is full of debates as to whether or not the date of Australia Day should be changed, often becoming a source of division.

There are those that still view January 26 as a day for celebration, but for Indigenous Australians it is a day of mourning.

On this day in 1788, the First Fleet sailed into Sydney Cove. For Aboriginal people, this marked the beginning of widespread massacres, land theft, stolen children and oppression.

With each passing year the debate around January 26 grows more contentious, with many referring to the date as “Invasion Day” or “Survival Day.”