Australia Day debate to restart at shire

THE future of Australia Day celebrations within the Surf Coast Shire is expected to be a key focus on Tuesday, February 25 when the council holds its first meeting of the year.

Competing petitions, one calling for the council to reinstate Australia Day celebrations and the other urging the council to maintain its existing approach to January 26, have been received and are set to be tabled during the meeting.

The shire voted to stop acknowledging Australia Day in September 2021, but calls for the council to reverse this position appear to be on the rise, following the City of Greater Geelong’s decision last month to return to celebrating the date.

Gail Gatt, the shire’s general manager of strategy and effectiveness, confirmed both petitions had been received ahead of next week’s council meeting.

“One, containing 612 signatures, calls on council to reinstate citizenship ceremonies and support for community celebrations on Australia Day,” she said.

“The other, containing 566 signatures at the time it was submitted, calls on the council to maintain its existing approach to 26 January, with a focus on First Nations reconciliation.”

The petition seeking the return of Australia Day celebrations originated in Winchelsea and was launched by Growing Winchelsea secretary Elaine Atkinson.

It has received support from Winchelsea Ward councillor Joel Grist, as well as the Anglesea Lions Club and the Lorne Angling Club.

Ms Atkinson said she supports the idea of reconciliation but wants to see combined celebrations on January 26.

“We’re a multicultural nation… people come to Australia to call Australia home. Why not celebrate collectively as a nation?”

It was news of Ms Atkinson’s petition that motivated the Surfcoast for Reconciliation community group to initiate its own plea for the shire to sustain its reconciliation efforts.

The group’s Andrew Vandenberg said once the harm caused by celebrating the date had been recognised, the community could not return to hosting Australia Day celebrations.

“There’s nothing wrong with celebrating Australia, it just has to be a different date. It’s the date that is so harmful,” he said.

He also suggested it was cheaper for councils across the state to host citizenship ceremonies on days other than January 26, with staffing costing more during public holidays.

“It’s a waste of money,” he said.

The Surf Coast Shire has held a Pilk Purriyn truth-telling event on January 26 for the past three years.