One of Victoria’s largest councils has made a significant backflip as it votes to celebrate Australia Day once again, despite previously choosing to cancel the national holiday.
The City of Greater Geelong Council voted at a meeting on Tuesday to celebrate Australia Day on January 26 and discontinue any advocacy for changing it.
The motion, introduced by Cr Eddy Kontelj, passed with seven votes to four, marking a backflip from last year’s decision to no longer celebrate the date.
The council had stopped referring to January 26 as Australia Day and ceased holding any citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion passed in May last year, following consultations with First Nations Peoples and the community.
However, after further community consultation, the council found that many residents were not happy with the previous Australia Day decision and wanted to continue celebrating the day.
It also comes after local council elections saw all but four of the 11 previous councillors replaced, with the newly elected council moving quickly to reverse the motion in its first meeting after representatives were sworn in.
A report will now be prepared and presented at the next meeting on January 28.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he fully supported the motion.
The City of Greater Geelong Council has voted to recommence Australia Day celebrations on January 26
Geelong council had stopped referring to January 26 as Australia Day and ceased holding any citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion was past in May last year
Cr Kontelj encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year even though the changes would not be made until 2026.
‘It is important to note that Australia Day is a national day proclaimed by the federal government, and the decision on which date to observe it is not one for local councils to make,’ Cr Kontelj said.
‘Australia Day is a day when we should be reflecting on and celebrating everything that is great and good about this country.’
He explained the motion was not intended to disrespect anyone in the community, particularly Indigenous and First Nations people.
On Australia Day this year, thousands of people marched in protests across the country, claiming the national holiday should be named ‘Invasion Day’.
Protesters called for Australia Day celebrations to be moved to another date as it marked Britain colonising the land and was a ‘day of mourning’ for Indigenous and First Nations people.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he fully supported the motion and encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year
For Indigenous and First Nations people January 26 is a ‘day of mourning’ as it marks when Britain colonised their land (pictured, protesters on the annual Invasion Day rally)
Geelong’s motion has prompted calls for other councils to push back on anti-Australia Day sentiments.
However, not all will follow suit, with Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece claiming his council had no plans to actively encourage celebrations or change its stance on Australia Day.
It comes after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that if elected prime minister next year, he would only display the Australian flag at press conferences.
Mr Dutton told Sky News on Monday that displaying three flags – the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags – was ‘dividing our country unnecessarily’.
Anthony Albanese has displayed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian flag at press conferences since he became prime minister in 2022.
Only the Australian flag was shown before Mr Albanese secured the top job.
Mr Dutton called out the move and revealed he would never address the nation with the three flags, arguing that it sent a confusing message.
The move comes after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) confirmed he would only stand in front of an Australian flag – and not the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags – during press conferences
‘I’m very strongly of the belief that we are a country united under one flag, and if we’re asking people to identify with different flags, no other country does that, and we are dividing our country unnecessarily,’ he told Sky News.
‘We should have respect for the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, but they are not our national flags.’
Mr Dutton also slammed Mr Albanese for sending ‘a very confusing message’ to Australians about the country’s values and celebrating Australia Day.
He labelled Mr Albanese as ‘the weakest Prime Minister’ in the country’s history and claimed Aussies should celebrate the national holiday under ‘one flag’.
‘The Prime Minister is not out there calling out Woolworths and not out there calling the pubs who don’t want to celebrate Australia,’ Mr Dutton said.
‘We are united as a country when we gather under one flag, which is what we should do on Australia Day.’
