This year's national holiday perhaps had one of the loudest calls for changing the date to an alternative. Campaigners for the move believe recognising 26th January as Australia Day is deeply offensive for Indigenous Australians, as some believe it glorifies the European colonisation of the nation.
While a national approach to the issue appears very far off, individual councils have taken the matter into their own hands. City of Yarra councillors in Melbourne voted not to hold citizenship ceremonies or celebrations on January 26th.
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The move angered Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who told Parliament: "On Australia Day, we recognise the greatness of our achievement as Australians. To change the date would be to turn our back on Australian values."
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But the City of Yarra has been followed by neighbouring council Darebin, after a meeting where the result was 6-2 in favour of changing the date.
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Councillor Trent McCarthy, who moved the motion, said: "When you know what 26th January represents to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community, and what it represents to those who have come to understand what it means, how can you possibly continue to have the national celebration on that day?
"I can't live with that decision and I'd like to think that in this chamber, and in our community...people have come to a position out of compassion and respect, and of doing what is right, not simply what is popular or what the press want us to do."
The two councillors who voted against the motion did so because they felt there needed to be more consultation with the community about their feelings. Resident David Shultz has told the Daily Mail: "Australia Day is 26th January and it should remain that day. They're doing it without proper consultation and they're just making decisions for us."
The Australia Day awards have been renamed the Darebin Community Awards and will instead be held on 25th January.
The move has caught the attention of some in regional New South Wales. While some councillors believe it's not an issue for local government, Wiradjuri elder Bill Allen has told ABC: "Council is supposed to be a grassroots representative body, so it's a grassroots representative move."
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"A lot of this can be done through education about the meaning of these things. If we're going to celebrate to be Australians as one, we need to pick a date that celebrates us as Australians from all different nationalities."
However, the elder's views aren't exactly being shared by others in the Indigenous community. Blacktown indigenous elder Gordon Workman has told the Daily Telegraph: "Changing the date ain't going to change history. If a few people out there want to big note themselves they're welcome, but to me it's ridiculous."
That's being backed up by Wurundjeri elder Ian Hunter, who also told the newspaper: "This was a few individuals saying, 'We know best'. Who did they consult? We are all Australians.
"We put our differences aside and go forward as one."
The federal government has penalised the City of Yarra council for the move and revoked its powers to hold citizenship ceremonies.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Australia
