The City of Melbourne will advocate for the federal government to change the date of Australia Day from 26 January, despite the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, saying there are no plans to shift the national celebration.
At a future Melbourne committee meeting on Tuesday evening, councillors voted to campaign for the Albanese government to change the date – a decision that can only be made at a federal level.
But the council decision makes clear it will continue to host citizenship ceremonies on 26 January – as well as issue permits for the Victorian government’s parade on that day – if the commonwealth does not change the date.
Melbourne’s lord mayor, Sally Capp, told the meeting she “loved” celebrating the day, and said the council’s decision was about advancing reconciliation and unity with First Nations Victorians, and described it as “local government leadership”.
“This debate tonight is not about creating arguments or division. It is about how and when we can bring everyone … together to celebrate what it means to be Australian,” Capp said.
“We won’t be changing why we want to celebrate Australia Day. We’re not changing or proposing to change how we celebrate Australia Day, but we are joining the ever chorus of voices asking the federal government to change when we celebrate what it means to be Australian.”
Capp acknowledged the decision was a federal one but said the council was representing the views of its constituents.
The councillors met to discuss a report – commissioned by Capp in July – that detailed options for how the council could handle celebrations of the national day from 2023, including its approach to events.
The paper showed that all five traditional owner groups that make up Eastern Kulin nation supported the move. An independent survey of 1,600 Melbourne city council businesses and residents – out of a population of about 150,000 – showed almost 60% supported a date change.
Greens councillor Olivia Ball said the motion was “modest” and would not change anything on the ground, but would adopt a position on an issue only the commonwealth could change.
“It’s an adoption of a position reflecting public opinion,” she told the meeting.
“Importantly, for democracy, we have listened to our traditional owners whose representative organisations are unanimous in wanting this date changed.”
But Liberal councillor Roshena Campbell – who voted against the motion – said the council had “no mandate” to advocate for changing the date or use residents’ and businesses’ rates for a campaign.
“No resident or business has told me they want their rates used for that purpose,” Campbell told the meeting.
“To the contrary, they tell me that they’re appalled that we’d devote our resources to this and spend their rates on it, particularly now, given the challenges facing our city.
But Capp said the council could “chew gum and walk at the same time”.
Campbell also stressed that Albanese had said a date change was not a priority for his federal Labor government.
“Their rates are going to be wasted on advocacy that is clearly going to fall on deaf ears,” she said.
The prime minister has said his government’s priority is recognising First Nations people in the country’s constitution.
Councillor Jason Chang voted alongside Campbell against the motion, saying it was a day that many migrants viewed as when they “truly become Australian”.
Councillor Philip Le Liu abstained from voting, saying the day was a date he had “always known” as he praised the multicultural nature of the Australia Day Parade.
Greens councillor Rohan Leppert said the motion to lobby the federal government was “modest” and he had wanted it to go further.
Celebrations on 26 January have become increasingly controversial in recent years, with rallies against the date in Melbourne and other major cities attracting thousands of supporters.
Some councils, including within metropolitan Melbourne, have also ceased holding ceremonies and events on 26 January.
But some Indigenous leaders have argued councils should prioritise Indigenous education, employment and housing issues over campaigning to change the date.
