Council rewrites history as they change the date of Australia Day celebrations

A council has come under fire for holding major Australia Day celebrations three days before January 26, with the mayor previously labeling the official date as one of “sadness”.

The City Council of the town of Mitcham in the southern foothills of Adelaide will hold its ‘Australia Day Celebrations’ on January 23, the Thursday before the official date of January 26 arrives on Sunday.

The municipality invites people to the event on its website, but does not provide an explanation for the date change.

“Head to the Soldiers Memorial Gardens at Mitcham Memorial Library to celebrate Australia Day on Thursday 23 January 2025,” the listing reads.

‘Join us from 5pm to 8pm for a free evening of activities and entertainment including food stalls, free sausage sizzle, Storytime for children, face painting, children’s activities, a henna artist and live music including a performance by Mitcham City Brass.

“Witness a citizenship ceremony and the presentation of the Citizen of the Year Award, where residents of the City of Mitcham who are making a difference in the community will be recognized, along with grant recipients.”

Citizenship ceremonies are a traditional part of many official Australia Day celebrations and must be held within three days of January 26, according to laws passed by the Federal Parliament.

A Mitcham resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia about the date change.

“I will not attend any fake celebrations on January 23,” they said.

Mitcham City Council voted last July not to keep Australia Day on its official date, in a motion by councilor Joanna Wells.

The motion decided that from this year, Mitcham will host Australia Day ceremonies and events ‘on the Thursday closest to Australia Day’.

This was “to avoid additional costs associated with facilitating the event on a public holiday, and to avoid scheduling the event on a day that could cause hardship to First Nations Peoples.”

Mayor Dr Heather Holmes-Ross previously campaigned to change the date of Australia Day in 2021, when Mitcham became the first Australian council to officially oppose January 26, writing to federal and state parliamentarians asking for it to be changed.

Mitcham Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross led council in a 2021 campaign to change the date of Australia Day

“This motion is about uniting all Australians,” Dr Holmes-Ross wrote on social media after council passed her measure.

‘We embrace Australia Day – our national holiday. We only object to the date.

‘We currently celebrate Australia on January 26, a date of sadness for some.

“Why wouldn’t we as a nation choose a date when we can be united in celebrating this beautiful country?”

Dr. Holmes-Ross said she “did not accept the argument that it is not the place of local government to debate this issue.”

“That’s an excuse to hide behind,” she said.

“As the level of government closest to the community, it is absolutely our place to have this discussion.”

Although the motion passed, it was not universally supported by other council members.

One of them labeled it a “feel-good” proposal that lacked substance and was pushed through “without even consulting the community.”

Conservative campaign group Advance Australia, which campaigned against Dr Holmes-Ross in response to the motion, labeled the mayor an activist.who hates Australia Day’ due to its refusal to hold events on the official date.

“Councils across the country have been infiltrated by anti-Australian campaigners who are trying to destroy our national holiday,” Advance spokesperson Sandra Bourke said.

‘The vast majority of Aussies are proud of Australia Day and want to celebrate it on January 26.

“That includes the taxpayers in the City of Mitcham.”