Melbourne Council Abandons Australia Day Date Change Campaign

The City of Melbourne has ended its campaign to change the date of Australia Day, with councillors voting to formally recognize January 26 as the nation's national day. The decision reverses a 2022 initiative that committed the council to lobbying the federal government to alter the date, acknowledging that January 26 is a day of mourning for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece stated that while he personally believes the date should be changed, the decision rests with the federal government, not the city council. "I understand that for Aboriginal Australians, the 26th of January is seen as Invasion Day and it's a day of heartache," Reece told ABC Melbourne. "But that decision is not made in the town hall chamber... It's a decision that's made in the Australian Parliament."

Despite abandoning the campaign, the council will continue to host a citizenship ceremony on January 26, alongside community barbecues and cultural events. The Share the Spirit Festival, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, will also proceed, as will the dawn service at Camp Sovereignty. The council is also exploring the possibility of reinstating an Australia Day parade, which has not been held since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The motion to cease the campaign was introduced by Councillor Philip Le Liu, who argued for fostering "community participation, civic pride and social connection." The motion suggested that Australia Day programming should promote "inclusion, multiculturalism and community connection, while remaining respectful of First Nations peoples and recognising the significance that 26 January holds for many Australians."

However, the decision was met with criticism from Greens councillor Olivia Ball, who called it "deeply disappointing." She argued that First Nations people and a majority of residents and businesses surveyed supported changing the date, and that the council should heed their concerns. Councillor Gladys Liu, who voted to end the campaign, noted that individual councillors would still be permitted to advocate for a date change, even if it is no longer the official stance of the City of Melbourne.