Council to review stance against funding Australia Day events on January 26

Now, that policy is set for a review, with a majority of councillors seemingly in favour of ditching it.

At their first meeting of the year on Tuesday, February 27, councillors voted by a majority of six to three in favour of a recommendation brought by Cr Anthony Brophy to order a report that “will include recommendations” and “any budget implications such as reinstating the previous approach to Australia Day” by March 31 so they “can be factored into the 2024/25 budget”.

Cr Brophy told the meeting his motion was only calling for a report to outline the cost implications of reinstating the city’s pre-2024 Australia Day program but said he thought council’s decision had divided the community.

“We do need to do better. We can do better, and I am convinced we will do better in uniting and not dividing,” he said.

Cr Brophy said he attended several events over the Australia Day period, and feedback had indicated council made a mistake in not funding events on January 26.

“It was obvious from every community that I went to we didn’t get it right, even the ones that had it not on that day, and I think we’re getting closer, but we still didn’t get it right,” he said.

Cr Sam Spinks seconded the motion, saying it gave council a chance to review its decision.

“What this allows is for us to have a discussion post the very large change that we placed on our communities in the 2024 January 26 period,” she said.

Cr Geoff Dobson was another councillor to support a review, telling Yorta Yorta man Cr Greg James, Greater Shepparton’s first Indigenous councillor, and the wider First Nations community that it wasn’t the right time to continue with the same position.

“The public comments that have come through at this time in our life don’t match up with your expectations and the expectations of First Nations people, and that’s more the pity, but it’s the reality in which we as councillors have got to look at and it’s the public comments versus community expectations,” he said.

Cr Fern Summer, who abstained from the vote in September last year due to sensitivity around the Voice to Parliament referendum, said she had made a mistake on that occasion.

“Not one councillor around the table spoke up to retain funding for our national day, and many in the community felt let down by that,” she said.

Another councillor to support the motion was Cr Dinny Adem.

He said councils should not lead by force, financial inducements or penalties, but instead through education and conversations.

“That said, and why I believe the wider Australian community can one day understand and embrace what this potential change means to our Indigenous Australians, local councils dictating change via methods such as prescribed community grants feels somewhat undemocratic to me and can only further divide these opposing views,” he said.

Only Crs Seema Abdullah and Ben Ladson joined Cr James in opposing the motion.

Cr Abdullah questioned the motives of the motion, despite it being couched in terms of reviewing costs, and said any controversy was to be expected.

“Opposition to the council’s decision, I believe, primarily came from segments of the community unaffected by the trauma and painful history of January 26 for Aboriginal people,” she said.

Cr James reiterated why holding Australia Day on January 26 excluded First Nations Australians.

“I’ve expressed to you all about how I feel on that day, and it echoes the pain of my people who are subjected to this historical trauma of our ancestors every year,” he said.

“Our position should not change when it comes to January the 26th. Should not change.”

In a short response to the motion, Cr Ladson made reference to council’s Reconciliation Action Plan.

Among the actions included in the RAP are having First Nations people close to council’s processes.

“I want to thank Cr James for his comments, and I ask a rhetorical question,” he said.

“How does this notice of motion align with our Reconciliation Action Plan?”