Local governments will have more flexibility in deciding when they hold citizenship ceremonies after the government relaxed rules around Australia Day.
Australia’s councils got an early Christmas present from the federal government with the announcement that citizenship ceremonies no longer have to be held on Australia Day.
Instead, immigration minister Andrew Giles said the government had updated the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code to “remove red tape” and allow citizenship ceremonies to be held between January 23 and 29.
Mr Giles said a number of councils had indicated they would move to no longer hold a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day because of the costs of hosting ceremonies on a public holiday.
“Councils have also indicated they would benefit from scheduling ceremonies as part of a broader program of Australia Day community events,” he said.
However Mr Giles said it remained the government’s ‘strong expectation’ that councils would conduct their ceremonies on January 26, which marks the arrival of the First Fleet.
Peak body welcomes news
ALGA has welcomed the announcement.
“Hosting citizenship ceremonies is a great honour for councils and it’s one we take very seriously,” president Linda Scott said in a statement.
“We have consistently advocated for individual councils to mark Australia Day, and the timing of local events, as a matter for local governments, knowing that we strive to reflect the broad wishes and aspirations of communities.
“It’s the responsibility of individual councils to be responsive and respect the views of our local communities.”
Among the councils that had moved Australia Day away from January 26 were Victoria’s Yarra City and Darebin councils, citing consideration for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In 1917 the councils were stripped of their right to officiate citizen ceremonies by the then Coalition government after saying they would stop holding ceremonies on that day.
Their authority to conduct citizen ceremonies had been reinstated, Mr Giles announced last Friday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denied it was the first step towards doing away with Australia Day.
“I support Australia, Day, the government supports Australia Day,” he told reporters.
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Absolutely and thoroughly disgusted by this anti Australian move bought in by stealth by the woke left activists in many councils and is nothing more than another step towards the Government decision to permanently abolish Australia Day because it allegedly offends a minority group in the community . Well I am offended that the one National day we used to celebrate is being diminished by the move to hold citizenship ceremonies on a date decided without permission from the ratepayers. It is clear my concern will receive nothing but laughter as I am not an Aboriginal Australian.
Were the views and wishes of the majority of Australians taken into consideration before this decision was made to move the citizenship ceremonies away from Australia day,?
January 26 was the day we welcomed our new Aussies to our fabulous country. Australia Day was never about celebrating a mythical “victory” over Aboriginal people but was about welcoming new Australians into a new life where we can all celebrate our safe, modern and prosperous Australia.
No council was ever elected, nor given the mandate to change or diminish Australia’s National day. Ratepayers pay for the council to administer the services the community require from councils with roads, rubbish, public infrastructure etc being the priority.
In the most arrogant manner the ratepayers have been excluded from any input into such a major decision simply because their view has been deemed to be worthless. The very fact that 81 councils have colluded to make this change together and not one of them has held a survey of every ratepayer for a majority view on changing the date.
You want the date of our national day changed?. Good. now go and get a majority support view from your ratepayers who pay your wages. If the majority wants a change then it’s up for change. if not then it stays as is.
The sneaky gutless anti Australian way these woke councils have gone about deceiving their ratepayers is nothing short of disgraceful and you should all be held accountable at the next election for not working in the best interests of your ratepayers.