The City of Yarra voted this week to unanimously end all citizenship ceremonies and celebrations acknowledging January 26 as Australia day.
The left-wing council, made up of four Greens councillors, two from Labor, two independents and a member of the Socialist Alliance, decided it would mark January 26 with a “culturally-sensitive event acknowledging the loss of culture, language and identity felt by the community on January 26”.
Responding to the news in Question Time on Wednesday, the Prime Minister was swift to condemn the actions of the rogue council, saying he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision, which represented an attack on a day to celebrate Australian values. “On Australia Day we celebrate what’s great about our wonderful nation,” he said. “This is an attack on Australia Day and a repudiation of the values the day celebrates: freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity.”
The Premier of Victoria, the Hon Daniel Andrews MP, also questioned the decision, which he called “unnecessary”, saying “you can celebrate what modern Australia is and citizenship ceremonies are a big part of that?—?it’s truly a magical thing”.
The council has come under strong criticism after claiming to have run a rigorous survey of residents, only for it to be revealed the survey was sent to approximately 300 non-indigenous people in the city of Yarra.
