Penny finally drops in Unley and Rockingham’s Australia Day U-turns | Caleb Bond

Let’s hope this idea of paying attention to what Australians really think catches on, writes Caleb Bond.

My idea of consultation may differ from that of our friends in local government but I always thought it involved asking residents what they think of something before a decision is made.

But, not for the first time, I must have been wrong.

Two councils – Unley in Adelaide and Rockingham in Perth – have, this week alone, reversed their decisions to move Australia Day ceremonies away from January 26.

And on that count they ought to be congratulated.

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But the way they came to these decisions is a little curious.

See, both councils decided it was their business to engage in a spot of virtue signalling by refusing to celebrate and commemorate our national day.

More than 80 councils across the country have done the same.

But they made these decisions without consulting the residents because, of course, someone elected on a few hundred votes to make sure our bins are emptied and the parks are maintained is eminently qualified to interfere with our celebration of the nation.

Except that they later sniffed the wind and realised their incursions into federal politics weren’t all that popular so, after the fact, they polled ratepayers.

And, lo and behold, Unley Council found 60 per cent of residents wanted Australia Day celebrations moved back to Australia Day. In Rockingham Council it was 64 per cent.

Australia Day celebrations and ceremonies have become a divisive issue. Picture: NewsWire/John Gass

Even the majority of Indigenous people surveyed by Rockingham said it should remain on January 26.

If only these councils had asked their constituents in the first place – or just avoided meddling in divisive racial politics – they wouldn’t have needed to go through all this palaver.

Let’s hope the novel idea of listening to voters catches on.

All that aside, though, these reversals are a huge win for the silent majority.

Despite all the divisive protests and activism, the cries that Australia “always was and always will be Aboriginal land” on the ABC, the relentless virtue signalling of big corporations and the demonisation of anyone who dares celebrate our great country as racist, the majority of Australians still like Australia Day.

And, whether they like it or not, councils have been forced to take notice.

Ordinary Australians have gone against the grain of the majority media and academic narrative and they’ve made their elected representatives follow.

After years of being beaten over the head about how awful Australia Day supposedly is, we are starting to fight back.

It started when Woolworths decided not to stock any Australia Day-related paraphernalia this year and faced a fierce backlash from consumers.

The supermarket giant was forced to issue a grovelling apology.

This year’s national day felt like it was revived – people who had stayed silent or quietly enjoyed January 26 for fear of reprisal finally had licence to openly celebrate their country.

I saw more flags, more parties, more cheer than I had in years.

The penny has dropped that most of us love our country and our national day – a day of unity and celebration of everyone and everything that makes this the best place on Earth – and the tide has started to turn.

We have found our voice and two councils have already listened.

Now we must make the rest take notice, too.

Originally published as Penny finally drops in Unley and Rockingham’s Australia Day U-turns | Caleb Bond