NewsBite

Australia Day date: Local councils push change

Melbourne Lord Mayor disagrees as national meeting of local councils votes to lobby commonwealth to switch date.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says Australia Day should remain as January 26. Picture: Sarah Matray
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says Australia Day should remain as January 26. Picture: Sarah Matray

Melbourne’s lord mayor has branded as “ridiculous” a push by some local councils to get the federal government to change the date of Australia Day. In a narrow vote at the annual National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), delegates approved a motion for councils to consider ways they could lobby the government to switch the date from January 26.

While more than 500 councils were represented at the meeting, those who voted on the motion were fairly evenly split, with the result coming in at 64 in favour and 62 opposed.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says Australia Day should remain as January 26, despite it being a date that many indigenous people regard as “Invasion Day” as it marks the arrival of the first fleet from England in 1788. “How ridiculous,” he told 3AW on Wednesday.

“It’s a wonderful celebration of our nation and I think these sorts of calls are just a waste of time.” Brisbane City Council also opposes any change and voted against the motion put up by Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey at the ALGA meeting in Canberra on Tuesday. “It will not support any further moves to change the date,” a council spokesman said.

The vote by councils came after thousands of indigenous Australians and their supporters marked Australia Day this year by marching in protests in major cities, calling for the date to be changed.

In Perth this year, the City of Fremantle moved some of its Australia Day events to January 28, citing cultural sensitivities and calls from local Aboriginal elders that January 26 was not a day to celebrate.

The Australian Local Government Association says its board will meet in July and consider what action to take in response to the motion carried at the national assembly.

“The ALGA board noted the level of debate and the closeness of the result of the debate and will take these matters into consideration when determining a course of action,” it said in a statement.

However the push for change faces stiff opposition by federal politicians. Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke said most Australians want January 26 to remain Australia Day.

“Even this local government conference was hopelessly divided on moving Australia Day with a vote of 64-62,” he said in a statement to AAP. “This sort of top down, elitist conversation will not build a national consensus on important questions such as our national day.” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that while everyone is entitled to debate the date of Australia Day, the government does not support a change. Greens senator Rachel Siewart also failed in her bid in February to get the Senate to support a date change, with Liberal, Labor and cross bench senators voting against a motion acknowledging January 26 as a day of mourning for many indigenous people as it represented the start of colonisation.

AAP

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/australia-day-date-local-councils-push-change/news-story/5791451cf21a7eeffec851ce7ba8932f