Rebecca Bourke’s push for Surf Coast Shire to celebrate Australia Day
Councillors are preparing for a lively debate over whether the Surf Coast Shire should bring back Australia Day celebrations – a move one describes as a “healing move”.
Geelong
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A push for the Surf Coast Shire to become the latest local government to reinstate Australia Day celebrations is on a knife-edge, as the nine-member council prepares for a lively debate at its first meeting of 2025.
First-term councillor Rebecca Bourke will introduce a notice of motion on Tuesday night that seeks to follow Geelong’s recent move of reinstating citizenship ceremonies and council-endorsed Australia Day events on January 26.
Ms Bourke, a Torquay ward councillor who campaigned on the issue, would not speculate on whether she had majority support.
A well-placed source said the vote was “too close to call”.
Under the motion, the shire would still fly the Aboriginal flag at half mast and hold its Pilk Purriyn truth-telling event in partnership with Wadawurrung traditional owners on January 26.
“Making an attempt to strike any kind of balance is a step forward from where we are now,” Ms Bourke said.
“I do believe this is a measured and balanced approach, within the limitations of council’s ability.”
Ms Bourke’s “back to basics” allies, Paul Barker and Joel Grist, will support the motion, the latter seconding it.
Mayor and deputy mayor Mike Bodsworth and Libby Stapleton, as well as Liz Pattison, were among six councillors who voted in September 2021 to cease acknowledging Australia Day.
It was described at the time as an important step towards reconciliation.
Adrian Schonfelder voted against the move and on Thursday he confirmed he would support Ms Bourke’s motion, as did his first-term Winchelsea ward colleague Tony Phelps.
“I see this as a healing move,” Mr Phelps said.
“It’s about closing that division and meeting in the middle … at worst, it (the motion) is a sideways move, but I see it as a step forward.”
Leon Walker, an Otway Range ward councillor whose vote will also be crucial, declined to comment.
Geelong council’s seven-to-four vote in December to again recognise and celebrate Australia Day was followed by a series of polls that backed its stance.
Resolve Strategic research found a 14-point jump from 47 per cent to 61 per cent support for maintaining January 26 as Australia Day.
A poll commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs found 69 per cent of people want Australia Day celebrated on January 26, a six-point increase in 12 months.
“My motion does not change council advocating to change the date,” Ms Bourke said.
“So until there is a change of date, our community still wants to be together and share all of our collective experiences together, with reflection, kindness and celebration.”
Emotions reached boiling point at Geelong council’s January meeting when the public gallery was kicked out just prior to another vote on the Australia Day issue.
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Originally published as Rebecca Bourke’s push for Surf Coast Shire to celebrate Australia Day
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