Council citizenship ceremony bans ‘a cruel blow to migrants’

Councils moving to ban citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day have been accused of unfairly and cruelly depriving migrants of the right to take the pledge on the national day.

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre campaign manager Nala Mansell. Picture: Chris Kidd

Councils moving to ban citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day have been accused of unfairly and cruelly depriving migrants of the right to take the pledge on the ­national day.

Hobart alderman Marti Zucco – the city’s longest-serving councillor – on Tuesday lambasted a city council decision to shift citizenship ceremonies away from Australia Day.

Mr Zucco, among a minority of aldermen to vote against the move on Monday night, said it would be a cruel blow to many migrants who wanted to gain their citizenship on the national day. “I’ve been involved in Australia Day and citizenship ceremonies for over 30 years and most of the people I’ve spoken to over the years say ‘Please make sure I get in on Australia Day’,” he said.

“Many do want that extra special thing of becoming a citizen on the national day, whatever day that is. We shouldn’t be taking away that right.”

Melbourne-born from a migrant Italian family, Mr Zucco called on Anthony Albanese to include a question on Australia Day in the looming referendum on the Indigenous voice. “We can kill two birds with one stone – it’s a logical, commonsense thing to do that would once and for all give Australians the opportunity to make a decision,” he said.

“Allow the country to decide. The referendum that we’re having is a prime opportunity to have an extra question that could put, say, five dates (for Australia Day).”

The Hobart City Council’s decision to hold citizenship ceremonies three days either side of January 26 - but not on the day itself – from 2024 was applauded by some Aboriginal and multicultural groups.

Multicultural Council of Tasmania chairman Datta Mahambrey told The Australian most people seeking to take out citizenship were “indifferent” to the day on which this occurred.

“When I got my citizenship 10 years ago, it wasn’t on Australia Day and the day didn’t really matter,” Mr Mahambrey said. “What mattered was the recognition that I belong to this great nation and am now an integral part of it.

“This change is a transition (made) from the perspective of a community, a country… recognising it’s a day which is traumatic for the custodians of this land.”

He did not have a firm view on whether there should be a referendum or plebiscite on changing the date of Australia Day, but he said he believed it would be preferable if the federal government made a “consensus decision”.

“If there was a plebiscite, I’d be fairly confident that there would be broad recognition, with most people taking the view that ‘Hey, what’s the harm in changing the date’,” he said.

Nala Mansell, campaign manager for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, hailed the council’s decision to “move citizenship ceremonies away from a date that divides the nation”.

“We’re now calling on Prime Minister Albanese to step up to the plate and make January 26 an official day of mourning and change the date of Australia Day,” Ms Mansell told The Australian.

“We think many other local councils will follow suit now that the (federal) requirement to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26 has been lifted.”

Ms Mansell said with Hobart and other councils abandoning celebrations and ceremonies on Australia Day, there would be more people in Tasmania protesting the occasion than celebrating.

She expected more than 5000 people to attend an “Invasion Day” street march through the city and rally on Parliament Lawns on Thursday.

Mr Zucco said his opposition to the council’s decision had seen him accused of racism, a charge he rejected.

“I grew up with people calling me a ‘wog’, so I understand ­racism,” he said. “I’m getting tired of people being called a racist in this debate just because they have a different view.”