One of Victoria’s largest councils has delivered a major setback by voting to celebrate Australia Day once again, despite previously deciding to cancel the national holiday.
Greater Geelong City Council voted at a meeting on Tuesday to celebrate Australia Day on January 26 and suspend any promotions to change it.
The motion, presented by Cr. Eddy Kontelj, was approved with seven votes to four, which represents a setback compared to last year’s decision to no longer celebrate the date.
Council had stopped referring to January 26 as Australia Day and stopped holding citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion passed in May last year following consultation with First Nations Peoples and the community.
However, after further consultation with the community, the council found that many residents were unhappy with the previous Australia Day decision and wanted to continue celebrating the day.
It also comes after local council elections replaced all but four of the previous 11 councillors, with the newly elected council quick to reverse the motion at 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.
Greater Geelong City Council has voted to restart Australia Day celebrations on January 26.
Geelong council had stopped referring to January 26 as Australia Day and stopped holding citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion was passed in May last year.
Cr Kontelj encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year, although 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 up to local councils,” Cr Kontelj told Newscorp.
“Australia Day is a day when we should reflect and celebrate all that is good and great about this country.”
He explained that the motion was not intended to disrespect anyone in the community, particularly Indigenous and First Nations people.
This year on Australia Day, thousands of people marched in protests across the country, demanding the national holiday should be called “Invasion Day”.
Protesters called for Australia Day celebrations to be moved to another date as it marked Britain’s colonization of the land and was a “day of mourning” for First Nations and indigenous peoples.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he fully supported the motion and encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year.
For First Nations and indigenous peoples, January 26 is a “day of mourning” as it marks the moment when Britain colonized their lands (pictured, protesters at the annual Invasion Day demonstration)
Geelong’s motion has sparked calls for other councils to back down. Sentiments against Australia Day.
However, not everyone will do the same: Melbourne Mayor Nick Reece said his council had no plans to actively encourage celebrations or change its stance on Australia Day.
It comes after opposition leader Peter Dutton said if he were elected prime minister next year he would only display the Australian flag at press conferences.
Dutton told Sky News on Monday that displaying three flags – Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander – was “unnecessarily dividing our country”.
Anthony Albanese has displayed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian flag at press conferences since becoming prime minister in 2022.
Only the Australian flag was displayed before Albanese took the top spot.
Dutton criticized the move and revealed he would never address the nation with the three flags, arguing 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 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags, during press conferences .
“I firmly believe that we are a country united under one flag, and if we ask people to identify with different flags, no other country does that, and we are dividing our country unnecessarily,” he told Sky. News.
“We must respect the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, but they are not our national flags.”
Dutton also criticized Albanese for sending “a very confusing message” to Australians about the country’s values and the celebration of Australia Day.
He called Albanese “the weakest Prime Minister” in the country’s history and said Australians should celebrate the national holiday under “one flag”.
“The Prime Minister is not calling out Woolworths or calling out pubs that don’t want to celebrate Australia,” Mr Dutton said.
“We are united as a country when we come together under one flag, which is what we should do on Australia Day.”