An Aboriginal elder has hit out at Melbourne councils for scrapping their Australia Day celebrations on January 26 and says the move will ‘pull everyone apart again’.
Gordon Workman, a leader in the indigenous community of Blacktown in Sydney’s west, slammed the controversial decision and said it would further ‘create a divide’.
Mr Workman’s critique comes as the City of Darebin is stripped of its power to hold citizenship ceremonies by Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke.
Aboriginal elder Gordon Workman has slammed the decision to scrap Australia Day
Mr Workman, a leader in Blacktown in Sydney’s west, said the decision would ‘create a divide’
City of Yarra mayor Amanda Stone (left) and City of Darebin mayor Kim Le Cerf
Last week the Greens-dominated Yarra City Council voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day, prompting widespread backlash and condemnation.
Neighbouring left-leaning Darebin Council followed the suit this week, risking being stripped of its power to host citizenship ceremonies by the federal government.
But Mr Workman said the decision to change the date to be more ‘culturally sensitive’ would do more harm than good with indigenous Australians in the area.
Ms Le Cerf (left) and Ms Stone speak to reporters at a media conference in Northcote
The pair were commenting on decisions by their councils to change Australia Day celebrations
They said January 26 is a date inappropriate for a national day of celebration
‘As far as I’m concerned it’s not going to change the day whatsoever, it’s part of history,’ Mr Workman told the Blacktown Advocate.
‘This will create a divide; it’s a further nail in the coffin. Instead of bringing everybody together it’s just pulling everybody apart again.’
Darebin mayor Kim Le Cerf said the list of councils could grow longer and on Tuesday confirmed there had been discussions with Moreland council in Melbourne’s north, Fremantle council in Perth and Hobart City Council.
Darebin Council voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day after Yarra Council made the controversial decision last week (Mayor Kim Le Cerf pictured)
The City of Darebin council (pictured), which governs several of Melbourne’s northern suburbs including Northcote, Preston and Reservoir, came to the controversial decision with a 6-2 vote in favour of the change
She said January 26 was inappropriate for a national day of celebration because it marked the anniversary of the British ‘invasion’ of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a shame.
January 26 celebrations are ‘quintessentially Australian’ and done in a respectful way that acknowledges the contribution and heritage of the country’s first people.
Darebin council will follow Yarra’s lead and hold an Indigenous-themed event instead of an annual citizenship ceremony on the day
‘Australia Day is January 26 and it should remain that day. They’re doing it without proper consultation and they’re just making decisions for us,’ Darebin resident David Schulz said.
But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told parliament last week such decisions were ‘utterly out of step with Australian values’.
‘I think it’s a great shame that others are not prepared to do the hard work to get that balance right,’ Mr Andrews said.
Ms Le Cerf said the premier’s approach was a backwards step.
‘The Victorian government has said they’re committed to treaty and to true reconciliation with our people and I don’t think that’s in the spirit of that commitment.’
After Yarra City Council voted for change the federal government stripped its powers to host citizenship ceremonies.
Yarra mayor Amanda Stone said there had been an ‘overwhelming majority’ of people in the area who backed its decision move.
‘That tells us the country is actually ready for this discussion about what’s the most appropriate date for a national day,’ Ms Stone said.
Darebin plans to replace Australia Day events on January 26 with other community celebrations to be held on another day.
It will include awards recognising community service and the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents.
Residents living in Yarra and Darebin will still be able to celebrate Australia Day on January 26, Victoria’s local government minister Natalie Hutchins told parliament.
‘There will not be any council officers peering over the fence as they have a barbecue,’ she said, adding that wide consultation needs to be undertaken ahead of councils making such important changes.
In a statement, Hawke said the Turnbull Government ‘remains resolute in its commitment to safeguard the integrity of citizenship ceremonies in Australia’.
‘The Melbourne local authority will be stripped of its power to hold any citizenship ceremonies following its political resolution which cancelled Australia Day citizenship formalities.
‘The Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke today issued a new instrument under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 which removes the ability of office holders at the City of Yarra Council to receive a pledge of commitment at a citizenship ceremony.
‘The Government had already issued a warning to Yarra Council that such an action would be viewed by the Government as a significant breach of the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code (‘the Code’).
‘The Commonwealth now will ensure prospective citizens with the City of Yarra are allocated to citizenship ceremonies held by neighbouring councils while the Department of Immigration and Border Protection will hold ceremonies within the City of Yarra as demand requires, including on Australia Day next year.
‘Mr Hawke said today the Turnbull Government would not tolerate Yarra Council’s use of citizenship ceremonies as a political device in a campaign against Australia Day being celebrated on January 26.
‘We are committed to ensuring that citizenship is treated in the ‘non-commercial, apolitical, bipartisan and secular manner’ which the Code mandates,’ Mr Hawke said.
‘The instrument I have signed today means there will be no more citizenship ceremonies conducted by the City of Yarra on behalf of the Government.
‘Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today expressed his deep disappointment at the Yarra Council decision.
‘On Australia Day, we celebrate what’s great about our wonderful nation. An attack on Australia Day is a repudiation of the values the day celebrates: freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity,’ he said.
‘Yarra council is using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians.
‘I recognise Australia Day and its history is complex for many indigenous Australians, but the overwhelming majority of Australians believe the 26th of January is the day and should remain our national day,’ Mr Turnbull said.
‘Mr Hawke has also written today to Minister for Local Government and Territories Senator Fiona Nash, asking that the she examine the proportion of Commonwealth Government funding provided to Yarra Council for the purpose of conducting citizenship ceremonies, with a view to that funding being reconsidered following today’s revocation decision.
‘It is regrettable that Yarra Council has proceeded with this course of action. I note that other Councils, including Fremantle and Hobart made the sensible decision to comply with the Code rather than risk losing their ability to conduct citizenship ceremonies,’ he said.
‘I am surprised and disappointed that the City of Yarra has chosen to pursue this divisive approach.
‘I would again like to thank the overwhelming number of local councils Australia wide which comply with the Code and conduct citizenship ceremonies that are non-commercial, apolitical, bipartisan and secular,’ Mr Hawke said.’