Brimbank Council is planning a consultation process to help understand community sentiment around 26 January.
Council acknowledges that 26 January means different things to different people, and for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it represents a day of mourning.
A Notice of Motion raised by Cr Jae Papalia was endorsed at the 21 February Council Meeting, for Council to conduct a community engagement process regarding 26 January.
Council will consult with the community, engaging directly with Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people.
Key stakeholders Council will engage with include the Brimbank Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reconciliation Action Plan Consultative Committee (BATSICC), Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Consultation will be conducted in parallel to engagement on Council’s draft Reconciliation Action Plan. More information on the future consultation will be available soon.
Based on the outcomes of the community consultation, a report proposing options and recommendations to acknowledge 26 January, will be considered at a Council Meeting later this year. This will be in time to inform planning for the 2024 year.
Council has been hosting an Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and Citizen of the Year Awards event on 26 January for many years.
In the last two years, Council has worked to increase information and provide a voice from our local First Nations communities about the area’s Indigenous heritage, including at citizenship ceremonies. This includes video addresses from BATSICC, provision of brochures about Brimbank’s Aboriginal history and the distribution of lapel pins to all new citizens that features the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
As a result of the recent Federal Government update of the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code, Councils now have flexibility to hold a citizenship ceremony either on Australia Day, or in the three days after, or the three days before. This means Council can consider other options for marking the date.
Council acknowledges that 26 January means different things to different people, and for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it represents a day of mourning.
A Notice of Motion raised by Cr Jae Papalia was endorsed at the 21 February Council Meeting, for Council to conduct a community engagement process regarding 26 January.
Council will consult with the community, engaging directly with Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people.
Key stakeholders Council will engage with include the Brimbank Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reconciliation Action Plan Consultative Committee (BATSICC), Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Consultation will be conducted in parallel to engagement on Council’s draft Reconciliation Action Plan. More information on the future consultation will be available soon.
Based on the outcomes of the community consultation, a report proposing options and recommendations to acknowledge 26 January, will be considered at a Council Meeting later this year. This will be in time to inform planning for the 2024 year.
Council has been hosting an Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and Citizen of the Year Awards event on 26 January for many years.
In the last two years, Council has worked to increase information and provide a voice from our local First Nations communities about the area’s Indigenous heritage, including at citizenship ceremonies. This includes video addresses from BATSICC, provision of brochures about Brimbank’s Aboriginal history and the distribution of lapel pins to all new citizens that features the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
As a result of the recent Federal Government update of the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code, Councils now have flexibility to hold a citizenship ceremony either on Australia Day, or in the three days after, or the three days before. This means Council can consider other options for marking the date.
Quotes to be attributed to Brimbank Mayor Cr Bruce Lancashire:
“We know that 26 January means different things to different people, and we’re keen to know how our community view the day and how they want it to be marked.
“The change in the Australian Citizenship Code provides flexibility for Council to consider other options for marking the date rather than the usual Citizenship Ceremonies and Citizen Awards we’ve held in the past.
“I look forward to getting feedback as to how Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples want Council to mark the date.”
Quotes to be attributed to Cr Jae Papalia:
“It’s time for Brimbank Council to start engaging with Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people to understand their desire to change Brimbank’s Australia Day Ceremonies date.
“This is something I’m really passionate about. More people are moving to having traditional ceremonies on 26 January to embrace indigenous culture, and it’s important for our Council to understand community sentiment on this topic.”