Woke local council under fire for using ratepayer money to fund a ‘Survival Day’ event
A council has angered taxpayers for using their money to fund a ‘Survival Day’ event on Australia Day.
Survival Day and ‘Invasion Day’ are names used by some Indigenous Australians and their supporters for Australia Day.
In a post on social media, Mount Barker Council in the Adelaide Hills asked locals to “respectfully” celebrate Survival Day on January 26 at an event organized by the Ruby Hunter Foundation and supported by the council with a $20 grant. 5,000.
The post prompted councilor Rebecca Hewett to set up a Facebook survey asking the community if they supported the council’s funding of the event.
With 645 voters, 85 percent of voters disagreed with the council funding the event.
But Ms Hewett deleted the post after claiming Mayor David Leach sent her an email saying: ‘Your actions in the attached Facebook post are unacceptable and a breach of the standards of conduct for councillors.’
Mrs Hewett told the Advertiser she started the poll after taxpayers contacted her to say they didn’t want their money spent that way.
“I’ve had a lot of calls from residents and they were very angry about this,” she said.
Councilor Rebecca Hewett (pictured) set up a Facebook survey asking the community if they supported the council’s funding of the event
But the councilor, who plans to stand as a candidate for One Nation in the seat of Mayo in the upcoming federal election, previously voted in favor of funding the Survival Day event.
“I fully supported that they could organize a Survival Day,” she said.
“I didn’t know at the time that it would take place on January 26, so that information was not given to me when I voted for it.”
Ms Hewett tried to raise taxpayers’ concerns at a council meeting on Monday evening, but claimed her statement was cut short by Mr Leach.
In a recording of the meeting heard by the Advertiser, the mayor repeatedly interrupted a speech by Ms Hewett.
Last year’s Survival Day event was attended by more than 1,000 people, the council said.
Ruby Hunter Foundation Chairman Eric Richards said the event is “for reconciliation, for healing, for our First People, and for educating our younger generation.”
He said he was “appalled” by Ms Hewett’s poll, which “shows that Aboriginal people in this country do not recognize an Aboriginal nation.”

A council has been called ‘woke’ and criticized by taxpayers for using their money to fund a ‘Survival Day’ event on Australia Day. Stock image of native smoking ceremony
It was clear from most of the responses to the council’s Facebook post on Survival Day that they disagreed.
‘January 26 is Australia Day. Why is Mount Barker District Council supporting an event that is derogatory to Australia Day,” wrote one.
“No thanks, I’m going to celebrate Australia Day with my family,” wrote another.
But not everyone agreed. One person wrote: ‘Thanks for promoting this event.
“It sounds like an important avenue for people who want to further educate themselves and respectfully acknowledge this day in a way of their choosing. I hope the event will be a success.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Hewett, Mr Leach and Mr Richards for comment.