But Council has no position on 26 January, they say

CELEBRATING Australia Day on the 26th of January each year, could become a thing of the past in the Bass Coast Shire.

At this Wednesday’s council meeting, December 14, the council will consider stripping local national day celebrations of one of its centrepiece events – the presentation of the annual Bass Coast Australia Day Awards, including the ‘Citizen of the Year’ award.

Instead, they’ll simply become the ‘Bass Coast Community Awards’, held in May each year, during National Volunteer Week.

“The format of the awards will be established in early 2023,” according to a report to council, “and consideration made for the award categories.”

There are no details in the report to council about what will happen to local Australia Day celebrations, without the awards, and the reasons given mainly revolve around the clashes in timing for the awards, at holiday time.

“Due to the timing of the current awards program, nominations and the presentation ceremony to the winners occurs during a period of the year where end-of-year, end of school, Christmas, New Year and summer holiday preparations are underway. This timing takes considerable focus away from the awards, affecting participation and engagement.”

There’s no direct reference to any plans by the council to join the ‘Change the Date’ movement, as the City of Melbourne did in September this year. They announced they would be advocating to the Federal Government for a change in the date of Australia Day after a survey of 1600 City of Melbourne residents and business owners came back with 60 per cent support for celebrating Australia Day on a different date.

But there was a nod to “inclusivity” in the report.

“The timing and process for the awards has constrained participation, and their association with 26 January affected the perception of inclusivity,” according to the council.

Several Melbourne councils have already gone further, including Yarra, Moreland and Darebin; banning Australia Day celebrations.

Sydney’s Inner West Council, Bryon Bay, Fremantle and Launceston councils have all done likewise.

Strathbogie Shire Council in Victoria’s north-east decided earlier this year to maintain its current role in conducting ceremonies on January 26, but only by one vote.

But is this the beginning of the end for celebrating Australia Day in Bass Coast on January 26, the day that Aboriginal people now call 'Invasion Day', 'Day of Mourning', 'Survival Day' or, since 2006, 'Aboriginal Sovereignty Day'?

The council has been unable to comment on the implications of moving the awards away from Australia Day until after the meeting on Wednesday but the paper understands the Council does not have a formal position on whether Australia Day should remain on January 26.

The proposal is about moving the annual Community Awards from January 26 to May to coincide with National Volunteer Week, rather than trying to precipitate any other change with local Australia Day celebrations.

The Sentinel-Times understand that the proposal would not change Citizenship Ceremonies which would continue to be held on January 26 but anecdotally, at least, we are aware that some people will not nominate for Young Citizen of the Year in the Community Awards due to the Community Awards currently being held on January 26.

At least two of the last six years have not received any nominations for Young Citizen of the Year, believed to be impacted at least in part by action to "change the date".

The idea is that the change of date for the Community Awards will make them more inclusive.

The shire’s website simply says: “More information regarding 2023 Awards coming soon”.