Australia Day has long been a national pride and celebration, but it's also sparked debate and differing opinions across the country.

In a move that could set a precedent for other councils, the City of Unley in Adelaide is considering a significant change to its Australia Day ceremonies that could ripple affect how the day is celebrated nationwide.

The Unley Council is set to debate a motion that could move its citizenship and Citizen of the Year award ceremonies back to 26 January.

Following a poll, a majority of respondents supported the idea.

This follows the council's earlier decision to move the celebrations to 25 January, which was met with mixed reactions from the community.

Unley Council in Adelaide will debate changing Australia Day ceremonies to 26 January from 25 January. Credit: Shutterstock

The poll, posted on the council's website, saw 842 residents weigh in on the matter, with 60 per cent in favour of reverting to the traditional date.

Councillor Rebekah Rogers has proposed a motion to vote on the poll's findings, and the council is expected to decide on the proposal shortly.

Mayor Michael Hewitson emphasised, ‘We are, as a local government, responsible as a council to our own community in Unley.’

‘We’ve got a whole range of opinions on the council, just as there is across the community as a whole.’

The discussion around the date of Australia Day ceremonies has been influenced by changes made by the Albanese government to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code in 2022.

These changes allow councils the flexibility to hold their Australia Day ceremonies on 26 January or within three days before or after the date.

This year, the City of Unley held its ceremonies on 25 January.

The debate over the date of Australia Day is a complex and sensitive issue, with some Australians viewing 26 January as a day of invasion and mourning for Indigenous Australians.

Others see it as a day to celebrate the nation's achievements and reflect on its history.

The Unley Council's decision could lead to a broader conversation about how Australia Day is commemorated and whether a more inclusive approach that respects all perspectives can be found.

Key Takeaways

• Unley Council in Adelaide is set to debate reverting its Australia Day ceremonies to 26 January after earlier moving them to 25 January.
• The motion follows a poll where 60 per cent of responding residents supported holding the celebrations on the traditional date.
• The move could represent a significant shift in the local council's approach to Australia Day observances.
• Changes to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code by the Albanese government permit councils to schedule Australia Day ceremonies within a window around January 26, allowing some flexibility.

How do you view the changes in Australia Day celebrations in your community? What effect might local decisions have on the national discussion? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[Mr Chips]

Pardon my ignorance but are Aboriginal Australians allowed to become Australians at these ceremonies?

 

[Big Buzz]

26th January IS AUSTRALIA DAY PERIOD. There was no INVASION, no Troops storming ashore with guns blazing, that is utter crap, welcome to country ceremonies are starting to PISS PEOPLE OFF NO END. If people, be they white, black, pink or brown with purple spots don't want to celebrate on that day, they can F*** off & do their own thing. I for one have never & never will say sorry for an event that occurred 254Yrs ago on Sun 29th April 1770, by a ship load of English Sailors who didn't even set up camp on land, or the landing at Syd Cove on 26th Jan 1788. They were different times & different minded people to what we are today. Australia WAS going to be found/settled by people from other countries, as it was originally, let all be thankful that it was claimed by the English & not the Dutch, Portuguese, French or Russians of that time. History will tell you REPEATEDLY "If you are not strong enough to hold onto what you have, someone stronger will come & take it from you." Britain is the LAST of the Great Empires still existing.
FACT NOT FICTION.

 

[Big Buzz]

Pardon my ignorance but are Aboriginal Australians allowed to become Australians at these ceremonies?

Your Ignorance is pardoned, unless they were born in another Country, why would they have/want too.

 

[squiggs]

Agreed 100%

 

[squiggs]

26th January IS AUSTRALIA DAY PERIOD. There was no INVASION, no Troops storming ashore with guns blazing, that is utter crap, welcome to country ceremonies are starting to PISS PEOPLE OFF NO END. If people, be they white, black, pink or brown with purple spots don't want to celebrate on that day, they can F*** off & do their own thing. I for one have never & never will say sorry for an event that occurred 254Yrs ago on Sun 29th April 1770, by a ship load of English Sailors who didn't even set up camp on land, or the landing at Syd Cove on 26th Jan 1788. They were different times & different minded people to what we are today. Australia WAS going to be found/settled by people from other countries, as it was originally, let all be thankful that it was claimed by the English & not the Dutch, Portuguese, French or Russians of that time. History will tell you REPEATEDLY "If you are not strong enough to hold onto what you have, someone stronger will come & take it from you." Britain is the LAST of the Great Empires still existing.
FACT NOT FICTION.

Well Said....

 

[Julie1946]

Always was and always should be ‘Australia Day’

 

[suzieq1963]

LEAVE IT AS IT IS

 

[GranniCaz]

Local governments are FAILING in their CORE ELECTED civic and social roles. Providing Roads, Rubbish afforded by our rates. They were NOT elected to impose their egos, political persuasions or aspirations upon those of us legally obliged to vote and appoint them to these positions.

 

[Kman]

Pardon my ignorance but are Aboriginal Australians allowed to become Australians at these ceremonies?

WHAT?????!!!!!!!!!

Under the Nationality Act 1920 (Cth), all Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders born after January 1, 1921 gained the status of British subjects. In 1949, therefore, they automatically became Australian citizens under the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth). Social rights.

 

[drambuie69]

The 26th January is Aust. Day, full stop. It is the 'noise-makers' with tin cans and a spoon who go around looking for something to change. It is the same with the Aust. Flag. It is the 'Aust. Flag', for all Australians no matter their colour, race or creed. We lost a lot of good, brave Aust. men and women who defended this Country in major conflicts around the world and we layed them to 'rest under that Aust. Flag.' Some 'change' has been good ie: our own Aust. Anthem, I for one am very proud to hear it played and to see the pride in the faces of our athletes at the Olympics and major sporting events. When Rudd offerred that 'apology in Parliament', it was a long time coming. However, I won't be held accountable for things done well before I was even a 'thought in the groin of a man and woman'. What I had hoped that one of the greatest travesty that relates to the 'stolen generation' in this Country was that the organisation who mostly instigated it and profited from it was the various Religious Organisations. They wanted to 'gather the children', and raise them as 'good white English speaking Christians.' Orphanages were established, administered by the Churches, they hired out the children to the wealthy land-owners as cheap labour and the Church profited from it however, no apology came from them, or the Great Britain Gov. who were 'running this Country. Someone in the Gov. should be trained in the Flag Protocol as there has been some 'serious errors' in the display/positioning of the Aust. Flag when it is being shown with 'other' flags. One of which I had to Google it when it 'suddenly appeared' on display as I had no idea of its 'standing or representation'.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

Too many bleeding hearts being able to make the loudest noise and change things that were perfectly fine. Australia Day - A day to celebrate how far we as a Nation have come and Proud of the Country we live in. The people who object that's fine BUT why do we have to change the date just because you don't like it.

 

[Veggiepatch]

<<<<<<<

Look to the left of this post. My response to this article is strongly made by my avatar.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

<<<<<<<< Me as well

 

[Reet]

I believe Australia Day should remain on 26 January as changing it will not alter the attitude of the people who decided it was not appropriate to celebrate on that day. Whatever alternative day could be chosen, it will always be opposed by those people who believe we should not celebrate at all. The aboriginals will always believe we took over their land without their permission and cannot accept that we are not excluding them from the celebrations but celebrating the fact that we all live together as one nation.

 

[summadale]

Well Unley Council has seen the light. I’m fed up with this so called Aboriginal activists who carry on every year, how much of the genes say they are as Aboringinal? We have so many divisive people on Councils who in their woke mind and agenda do their thing but not what their constituents want, or do we ever get asked? Leave Jan 26 oh and why are we blamed for what was done long time ago, we can’t change history so get over it. Sure it wasn’t a good time but every country has been invaded, sad how people were treated but it’s in the past.

 

[NoNoNoNoNoNo]

as we just getting so sensative to every little issue held by every "group" theat the majority have to suffer because of the minority

 

[Noon]

Australia Day Awards should be 26th January & need to go to the ones who need them, not necessarily those chosen by the Government.

 

[Ebby]

The way all these immigrants are coming into the country it's not going to be an Australia Day much longer.Albanese is a complete baffoon and doesn't realise what he has done.These people breed like rabbits and will take over eventually .The ones who are decent people yes but he just lets everyone in.

 

[Veggiepatch]

A little aside. I walked into the local Reject Shop yesterday to find one whole side of the store devoted to some crappy thing called Halloween. Will Australians spend in excess of $400 million on this rubbish this year?