Greater Shepparton City Council is set to address a proposal to advocate for the Federal Government to change the date of Australia Day, and remove the requirement for citizenship ceremonies to be held on January 26.
According to council documents, exploring a change to how January 26 is marked in Greater Shepparton recognises that for many community members celebrating Australia Day on the current date is “complex and contested”.
Council will vote on the recommendation at Thursday’s October council meeting, which was postponed by a week due to the floods.
If council supports the proposal, it would join other Victorian local governments that have changed the way they mark Australia Day or advocated to change the date.
It would also see council undertake further community engagement to inform a decision whether to mark Australia Day on January 26 in 2024, should a change not come from the Federal Government.
The recommendations are centred on feedback from a community stakeholder group formed to explore how council should approach Australia Day activities in 2023 and beyond.
This feedback included that a decision by council should not be rushed, and consultation should be broadened to more community stakeholders.
It also suggested there was limited attachment between the importance of council’s Australia Day awards and citizenship ceremonies and holding them on the January 26 date itself.
There was hope from the stakeholder group that a day of community pride could “have meaning for all about what is good about this country”.
Other changes would see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags lowered to half-mast at all council-owned facilities on January 26, and a review of council’s Australia Day grant guidelines to encourage recipients to reflect on the nation’s full history at January 26, 2023 events.
It would also provide financial and in-kind support for the Survival Day Dawn Ceremony.
Council will also hold elections for the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor prior to the council meeting.