Both mayor John Stafford and NSW Aboriginal Land Council representative Craig Cromelin agree that the Federal Government is overstepping its boundaries as to dictating when local councils hold citizenship ceremonies.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cr Cromelin said it was a weak move, while Cr Stafford was more vetted in his response.
“It’s not really a game-breaker as to when we hold awards. I’m not so sure the Federal Government should be dictating when local councils hold the ceremonies,” he said.
The Australian Local Government Association agreed with Cr Stafford’s sentiment.
Councils cannot move Australia Day - this is ultimately up to the Federal Government – but it is our job to be responsive to our communities, including to their calls for prudence and advocacy, ALGA president David O’Loughlin said.
The Federal Government should be more concerned with funding to support local governments, he added.
“Our local and diverse communities matter, and so do their pools, beaches, libraries, sporting grounds, parks and the safety of their local roads.”
The Upper Lachlan Shire would not hold any citizenship ceremonies this year, due to there being no applicants.
However, the Federal Government is under fire for its address to local councils in October from the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman.
The letter addressed to Cr Stafford read: “Councils must not use citizenship ceremonies, or their ability to determine the dates on which they are held, as a political tool to delegitimise Australia’s national day or to support a broader political movement regarding its date.
“Any action taken to do so is a serious breach.”
The political debate rages, and is again proving strongest on the lead up to Australia Day.
In 2017, ABC radio station Triple J announced it would change the date of its popular ‘Hottest 100’ to the fourth weekend in January.
It has partnered with Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) for the past four years; but said its views were independent. Other organisations have followed their lead.
Cr Cromelin is the councillor-elect on the NSW Aboriginal Land Council for the Wiradjuri region, which has 21 land councils including Pejar Aboriginal Land Council.
“Why do people fear fellow Australians making a stance against the date, in support of First Nation Australians?
“The date is recorded, it’s there, it’s history,” he said.
“The time of colonisation sits like a small grain of sand next to an orange.”
The date paled in significance to some 60,000 years of history that came before it, he said.
Cr Cromelin believed that a change would be culturally beneficial.
On Australia Day he will attend the Saltwater Freshwater Festival in Coffs Harbour.
