Councils cancel January 26 ceremonies with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused of abolishing the tradition
Dozens of councils will ditch their traditional citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day next month, despite Anthony Albanese promising there would be ‘no changes’ to our national day.
More than 80 municipalities have removed the popular event from their January 26 festivities, prompting claims from the federal opposition that the Prime Minister is trying to abolish the tradition.
It’s been a year since the Labor government scrapped a rule forcing councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.
Mr Albanese assured Aussies at the time that ‘there will be no changes here’.
Only four municipalities, including the City of Sydney, chose to boycott this year’s event in the wake of the recent rule change.
The Council is scrapping formal Australian Day events in favor of more inclusive celebrations. The photo shows an Australian celebrating our national holiday
“By choosing Australia as their home, these newest citizens are embracing the values and qualities that Australians hold dear,” the Prime Minister said at the time.
Fast forward 11 months: 70 municipalities recently informed the federal government that they will not host citizenship ceremonies next month.
Another eleven municipalities have since decided to cancel the event.
Of the councils not hosting the event, 22 are from Victoria, NSW has 19, 11 in Western Australia, 10 in Queensland, seven in South Australia and Tasmania and two in the Northern Territory.
Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan accused the Albanian government of undermining Australia Day.
The coalition plans to reintroduce the rule to force the council to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26 if they are elected to power in 2025.
“If we are not willing to do citizenship ceremonies on our national day, what are we willing to do on our national day,” Tehan told Nine News.
More than 81 councils will not hold Australia Day citizenship cremonies next month. The Prime Minister is pictured at a ceremony in Canberra in January
Anthony Albanese (pictured with partner Jodie Haydon) has been accused of undermining Australia Day
“If the Prime Minister wants to change Australia Day, he must be upfront with the Australian people, rather than working in the shadows to change the date.”
The commotion has prompted the municipalities to stick to their decisions.
Sydney Mayor Clover Moore canceled the event earlier this year due to low attendance at previous ceremonies in Australia.
She described January 26 as a “painful” day for many and believes the national celebration should not take place on “Invasion Day.”
“The City of Sydney strongly supports changing the date of Australia’s National Day to one that can be fully embraced and celebrated by all Australians,” Cr Moore told reporters. The Sunday Telegraph.
“Advocating a date change will not solve the devastating and far-reaching effects of colonization, but it will provide a platform for an ongoing and honest conversation.”
Yarra councilor Bridget O’Brien added: “It’s very much about respect and we are also working towards reconciliation, in whatever small way that is.”
There are increasing calls to change the date of Australia Day (revelers in the photo).