Push to resume Australia Day celebrations fails

AN ATTEMPT to reinstate Australia Day celebrations in the Surf Coast Shire on January 26 each year has been stymied, with councillors to instead receive an officers’ report about the issue.

A big crowd packed the public gallery at the council chambers in Torquay yesterday (Tuesday, February 25) night to hear councillors discuss Cr Rebecca Bourke’s notice of motion.

The council resolved to stop acknowledging Australia Day in September 2021 but Cr Bourke’s motion would have reversed this, designating Australia Day “as a tier 1 event in all future event calendars, for the purpose of supporting community groups or organisations with Australia Day events open to the general public” and also allowing citizenship ceremonies to be held on Australia Day each year.

The notice of motion also noted the change would not affect the shire’s Flag Policy or its delivery of the Pilk Purriyn event.

“The purpose of this motion is to work towards bringing our community together with kindness and respect,” Cr Bourke said.

Cr Joel Grist seconded the motion. “My issue with council’s current position as it relates specifically to the formal celebration of Australia Day is that from the information provided to councillors from their responsible officers, the community were not broadly consulted on their views before the 2021 resolution was implemented,” he said.

Cr Liz Pattison voted against the motion. She foreshadowed an alternative motion asking officers to prepare and present a report to councillors about the impacts of changing the shire’s existing policy and also to advocate to the federal government to move Australia Day away from January 26.

“The 26th of January, 2026 is still 11 months away,” she said.

“We do not need to make divisive decisions tonight without all the information and understanding at hand. That is not good governance.”

Cr Libby Stapleton also voted against the motion, saying the outcome, despite the intent, “would not be fair or balanced”.

“I believe it would cause great suffering to some in our community and I cannot make a decision to proactively support any event that we know causes pain to others.”

Cr Bourke’s notice of motion was lost four votes to five, and Cr Pattison’s alternate motion passed five votes to four.

The council also officially received two petitions – one stating the shire should hold “Citizenship and Australia Day Awards Ceremonies, and support Australia Day community events on Australia Day the 26th January” with 612 signatures, and one asking the shire to maintain its stance from 2021 with 556 signatures (at time of lodging).