Woollahra Council to stop citizenship ceremonies on January 26 from 2024

By SASHA FOOT

Woollahra councillors have supported a mayoral motion to cease holding citizenship ceremonies on the contentious date of January 26.

The council’s decision follows a recent amendment to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code which overturned a 2019 rule that forced councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.

According to the details of the new code, Woollahra Council will be able to hold the ceremony three days before or after January 26.

Woollahra Mayor, Susan Wynne, says moving the ceremony from January 26 will align with the council’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan created in 2022 with the aid of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.

“I believe we are leading the way for reconciliation,” she told councillors in the recent February meeting.

“This [motion] is just recognising that there was a directive from the federal government which has now been removed.”

The La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council have advised they support Woollahra Council’s intention to move citizenship ceremonies from Australia Day, despite holding no “formal position” on the day.

Councillors weigh in

Councillor Matthew Robertson believes Australia Day is “a very difficult day” that “does correlate with the invasion of this country against the will of First Nations people”.

He added that moving the ceremonial date allows people to celebrate their new citizenry on a date free of contention.

“We can’t change that this date has become contentious, and when I think about people becoming Australian citizens… it is a day of great joy.”

“Do we want to celebrate our newest Woollahra residents on a day that has become a day of division, conflict and, certainly, not a day of celebration?”

Councillor Nicola Grieve stated her full support, calling it a “simple, logical, practical and respectful motion”.

Councillor Sean Carmichael said that though he understands the Mayor’s intentions, he believes local government should not engage with the Australia Day debate.

“In my view, it is not appropriate for Woollahra – or any other council – to try to do this ourselves,” he said.

Councillor Toni Zelter had similar reservations about engaging with the change the date debate, saying she solely supported the motion to alleviate public holiday duties for council staff.

“I will support the motion because it eliminates the need to have citizenship on [a public holiday].”

The City of Sydney has similarly moved the ceremony from January 26.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, expressed in a letter to residents that Invasion Day is not a suitable day to celebrate a national holiday.