South Australian Council Shifts Australia Day to Different Date

Women take a selfie at The Mercantile Hotel in The Rocks in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2021. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

The City of Mitcham council in South Australia has invited the community to celebrate Australia Day and welcome its new citizens on Jan. 23, three days ahead of the actual date of celebrations.

While most traditional Australia Day events tend to be held during the day, the council’s celebrations will be held by night.

Running from 5–8 p.m., the event includes a long list of free activities including food stalls, a free sausage sizzle, children’s events and live music.

The region’s citizenship ceremony will also be held on the same date.

The change could be explained by a law change made in 2022, when the federal government announced councils could choose to hold citizenship ceremonies three days either side of Jan. 26.

Previously, local governments were expected to hold the events on Australia Day.

City of Mitcham Manager of Engagement and Governance Julie Lamond told The Epoch Times that Councillor Joanna Wells had put forth a motion in July 2024, to move away from holding of citizenship ceremonies on Jan. 26.

The reasons put forth in the motion were to “host citizenship ceremonies on the closest Thursday to Australia Day in order to avoid extra costs associated and avoid scheduling the event on a day which may cause distress to First Nations Peoples.”

“Should Australia Day occur on a Thursday the event should be held on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 25, in that year,” council documents state.

The council said holding Australia Day festivities on Jan. 25 in 2024 lowered the cost of events from an average of $32,200 to $15,500 due to moving away from the public holiday.

Citizenship ceremonies will remain within three days of Australia Day in order to comply with the federal code.

The council says it has received a small amount of mixed feedback from the community, with some for and others against.

It maintains flexibility on the holding of Australia Day celebrations, with last year’s motion applying only to citizenship ceremonies.

Australia Day Debate

Australia Day is a public holiday held annually on Jan. 26 to commemorate the arrival of the First Fleet from Great Britain in 1788, which marked the beginning of European colonisation of the continent.

While some argue the day is an important national celebration of Australia’s values, there have been calls from some corners—particularly amid the global cancel culture push—to change the date as it could be deemed offensive to Indigenous people.

Protest groups argue the date marks the beginning of the dispossession of Indigenous people and may sometimes call it “Invasion Day” instead.

The date of Australia Day has become a topic almost as hot as the summer sun in recent years as a growing divide forms between those who believe in keeping the traditional date and those who say it marks the beginning of atrocities committed against Aboriginal people.

Sausages are cooked on the BBQ at Ramsgate Beach, Botany Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2024. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Late last year, a hotel chain backflipped on a decision to cancel Jan. 26 celebrations at its hundreds of venues across the nation.

Australian Venue Co. initially made the call due to the “sadness” and “hurt” it said the date caused to Indigenous Australians. However, following widespread backlash, the group said Australians could celebrate as they pleased.

Academic and Indigenous commentator Anthony Dillon told The Epoch Times that Australia Day was not an offensive event.

“We don’t have to tolerate nonsense,” he said, adding that Australia Day is, and should always be, about celebrating what’s great about the nation.

“It’s not disrespecting Aboriginal people in any way,” Dillon said. “If you’re not Indigenous Australian, don’t let anyone tell you it’s offensive.

“That’s their opinion, not fact.”