Aussie council makes a major Australia Day backflip after public backlash

One of Victoria’s largest councils has suffered a major backlash when it voted to celebrate Australia Day again, despite previously choosing to cancel the national holiday.

The City of Greater Geelong council voted at a meeting on Tuesday to celebrate Australia Day on January 26 and drop any calls for it to be changed.

The motion, filed by Cr. Eddy Kontelj, was adopted by seven votes to four, marking a setback from last year’s decision to no longer celebrate the date.

The council stopped calling January 26 Australia Day and stopped holding citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion was passed in May last year, following consultation with First Nations Peoples and the community.

However, following further community consultation, the council concluded that many residents were unhappy with the previous Australia Day decision and wanted to continue celebrating the day.

It also comes after the city council elections saw all but four of the previous 11 councilors replaced, with the newly elected council moving quickly to reverse the motion at the first meeting after the representatives were sworn in.

A report will now be prepared and presented at the next meeting on January 28.

City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he fully supported the motion.

The council had stopped referring to January 26 as Australia Day and stopped holding citizenship ceremonies after a unanimous motion was passed in May last year

Cr Kontelj encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year, even if the changes would not be implemented until 2026.

“It is important to note that Australia Day is a national day declared by the federal government and the decision on which date it is celebrated is not up to local councils,” Cr Kontelj told News Corp.

“Australia Day is a day for us to reflect on and celebrate all that is good and right about this country.”

He explained that the motion was not intended to disrespect anyone in the community, especially Indigenous and First Nations people.

On Australia Day this year, thousands of people marched in protests across the country, claiming the national holiday should be called ‘Invasion Day’.

Protesters called for Australia Day celebrations to be moved to another date as it marked Britain’s colonization of the country and was a “day of mourning” for Indigenous and First Nations people.

City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he fully supported the motion and encouraged residents to celebrate Australia Day next year

For Indigenous and First Nations people, January 26 is a ‘day of mourning’ because it marks when Britain colonized their land (photo, demonstrators at the annual Invasion Day rally)

Geelong’s motion has led to calls for other councils to go ahead anti-Australia Day sentiments.

Not everyone will follow suit, however, with Melbourne Mayor Nick Reece claiming his council has no plans to actively encourage celebrations or change its position on Australia Day.

It comes after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said if he were elected Prime Minister next year he would only display the Australian flag at press conferences.

Mr Dutton told Sky News on Monday that displaying three flags – the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags – “unnecessarily divided our country”.

Anthony Albanese has displayed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian flag at press conferences since becoming prime minister in 2022.

Only the Australian flag was displayed before Albanese secured the top spot.

Mr Dutton called out the move and revealed that he would never address the nation with the three flags, arguing that it sent a confusing message.

The move comes after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) confirmed he would only stand in front of an Australian flag at press conferences – and not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags.

“I strongly believe that we are a country united under one flag, and when we ask people to identify with different flags, no other country does that, and we divide our country unnecessarily,” he told Sky. News.

“We must respect the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander flags, but they are not our national flags.”

Mr Dutton also slammed Mr Albanese for sending “a very confusing message” to Australians about the country’s values ​​and celebrating Australia Day.

He branded Albanese “the weakest prime minister” in the country’s history and claimed Australians should celebrate the national holiday under “one flag”.

“The Prime Minister is not calling out Woolworths or calling out the pubs that don’t want to celebrate Australia,” Dutton said.

“We are united as a country when we come together under one flag, and that is what we should do on Australia Day.”