A council has controversially removed the words ‘Australia Day’ from some January 26 events and changed the date of their annual civic achievement awards.
The Cairns Regional Council has changed the title of their ‘Australia Day Awards’ to the ‘Citizen of the Year’ ceremony, which will instead take place on February 1.
Councilors Max O’Halloran and Cathy Zeiger said councilors were not involved in the decision.
‘It’s sad to see it has come to this. It seems we are losing this tradition everywhere – it is being thrown out the window,” Mr O’Halloran shared The Cairns Post.
Ms Zeiger said she thought it was “poor form” and that “council members are the last to find out, which often seems to be the case lately.”
Cairns Regional Councilor Max O’Halloran (second from left) said councilors were surprised by the decision to scale back Australia Day events
On Tuesday, after media inquiries, the Cairns Regional Council re-added the word Australia Day to some promotional posts advertising January 26.
Council CEO Mica Martin said the council’s events on the day were aimed at free family fun and the term Australia Day could still be used.
‘The promotion of Australia Day events and the format of the Citizen of the Year Awards was done in close consultation with Mayor Bob Manning last year. The approach was very successful,” said Ms Martin.
It is understood a citizenship ceremony will still be held at the Council’s Civic Building on Australia Day, with more than 70 people expected to attend.
Ms Martin added that the decision to move the Citizen of the Year Awards to another date was partly due to their achievements not being overshadowed by the debate around Australia Day.
Some of the 2023 Cairns Citizen of the Year winners with Mayor Bob Manning (centre)
January 26 commemorates the landing of the First Fleet in Australia and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove.
In recent years, however, Invasion Day rallies attended by thousands on January 26 have gained more attention as they protest the plight of First Nations Australians.
Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell explains on the Invasion Day website: “The British were armed to the teeth from the moment they set foot in our country… It is not a date that is particularly pleasant for Aboriginal people.”