Council to consider role in relation to January 26

Council’s current role in relation to January 26 is to conduct citizenship ceremonies, hand out Australia Day awards, and provide grants and in-kind support to community groups to help them mark the day.

Council has recently undertaken several engagement sessions with community groups and community members to consider their views on January 26 and its future moving forward. A Community Stakeholder Group (CSG) was also established to provide local advice and share personal and community views. The CSG involved members from Australia Day Committees, Aboriginal organisations and non-Aboriginal organisations, and resulted in varying feedback, including:

• The Australia Day Awards are considered very important, as are Citizenship Ceremonies, but it is the underlying meaning of these that are important rather than the fact they are held on January 26, and there is limited attachment to having these on the day.
• January 26 evokes a range of feelings for different people – it is a day of community recognition for some people and for many Aboriginal people, it is a day of mourning and conflict.
• There is an opportunity to work towards what is best for the community of Greater Shepparton that allows all to come together, acknowledge and celebrate in ways that are unique to this community.
• Broaden the consultation to include more community stakeholders including established and recently arrived migrant groups.
• Change is important but ‘the way you do change is crucial’.

The views expressed from these discussions helped inform a January 26 Community Stakeholder Group Conversation Meeting Report which was considered at the October Council Meeting. Recommendations were made to Council to guide decision making about Council’s role in relation to the day. At the October Council Meeting, Council committed to:

• Writing to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Home Affairs, other relevant Australian Government Ministers, Members of Parliament and Senators to:
  • Change the date for Australia’s National Day from January 26.
  • Remove the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code requirement for the local government councils to conduct citizenship ceremonies on January 26.
• The lowering of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag to half-mast on January 26 at all council-owned facilities to acknowledge this date as a day of mourning for Aboriginal people.
• Financial and in-kind support for:
  • Greater Shepparton’s Australia Day Committees for 2023
  • ‘Survival Day Dawn Ceremony’ and recognition of this event in Council communications
• A review of the Australia Day grant guidelines to encourage and support grant recipients to reflect on Australia’s full history at events held on January 26.
• Continued community engagement to inform a Council decision about:
  • Australia Day in 2024 and beyond
  • The development of a program proposal for a day of community celebration for 2024, that is not held on January 26, that is inclusive, reflects the full history of Australia, and is culturally respectful.

January 26 holds diverse and complex meanings for Australians. While it remains a public holiday and a date upon which awards and citizenships are conferred, it is not a day of celebration for all, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Cr Shane Sali, said the recommendations of the January 26 report demonstrates Council’s commitment to Reconciliation and the sentiments of the most recent Council Plan.

“In recent times Greater Shepparton City Council, like many others, has been considering making changes to the way this date is marked in order to reflect this to be inclusive of all Greater Shepparton residents” he said.

“We believe our national day should be a day that is inclusive, culturally respectful, and uniquely meaningful to the Greater Shepparton community. Committing to further conversations on this topic in 2023 provides an opportunity to obtain feedback more broadly from right across the community to better understand our next steps and to consider further change from 2024.

“Greater Shepparton Australia Day and Citizenships Ceremonies will remain the same in 2023 however we look forward to consulting with the wider community on this topic in the future.”