South Australia’s second largest city will consider further changes to its Australia Day programming after voting to move its annual citizenship ceremony to January 24.
Key points:
- Mount Gambier City Council staff recommended moving Australia Day events in 2024
- Councillors instead voted to keep the city’s Citizen of the Year awards on January 26 but move its citizenship ceremony
- The council will review its Australia Day events
City of Mount Gambier elected members on Tuesday night voted in favour of moving the citizenship ceremony while keeping the council’s Citizen of the Year Awards Ceremony on January 26.
It will also conduct a review into whether it is more appropriate to also move the award ceremony in 2025.
A recommended motion presented to councillors had suggested moving the award ceremony to May, during National Volunteer Week.
However, deputy mayor Max Bruins proposed an alternative motion to keep the awards on January 26, saying his phone had been “ringing off the hook” with residents hoping to see an Australia Day event continue.
He said the changes would be a transitional arrangement allowing the council to take stock and engage the public to determine what happened on January 26 in the future.
The motion was passed, with all present councillors — except Kate Amoroso — voting in favour.
‘Broad range’ of views
Mount Gambier’s Australia Day events returned this year after being cancelled in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, attendance was lower than pre-pandemic levels, as was participation in the council’s Citizen of the Year process, according to the report presented to council.
The report also mentions council had sought preliminary feedback from its Yerkalalpata Reconciliation Action Plan Community Reference Group, following discussion among elected members earlier this year.
Mayor Lynette Martin told the chamber there was a “broad range of views in our community” on the issue.
“Since my first Australia Day as mayor, I’ve felt that an event more inclusive of our multicultural community … an event that really celebrates everyone in our community would be more appropriate,” she said.
“It is sensitive and complex … and I think it’s time to look at how we as a community celebrate the event in a more inclusive way.”
Councillor Frank Morello said although Australia Day had been a “staple in our diaries for many years and served as an occasion to come together”, he supported the need to start a conversation about holding events on January 26.
“My observations of the Australia Day event is that over recent years, attendances have declined,” he said.
“The young generation, migrants and First Nations peoples are not represented in any meaningful way.
“I think we can do better.”
He advocated for “a community-led conversation” on the future of the event.
Council chief executive Sarah Philpott said the suggested change was part of a regular review of council events.
“Also, we’re being conscious of the conversations that are going on around Australia Day,” she said.
“We spoke to our Aboriginal reference group and they were very balanced about this and said they recognised there’s a range of views around Australia Day.
“[They] were looking at, regardless of what decision council made on when to hold the event, including opportunities for First Nations voices or representation.”
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