We should change that date away from January 26. Boroondara can do it now. Council, do it for 2024.

On 16 December 2022, Federal immigration minister Andrew Giles announced that the government had updated the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code to “remove red tape” and allow citizenship ceremonies to be held between January 23 and 29.  Local Councils are no longer required to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

In view of the hurt and distress that the date signifies for many First Nations people, and in recognition that this has been made very clear by Aboriginal people by their actions, notably since the first Day of Mourning protest on 26 January 1938, the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet, we request that the City of Boroondara Council:

• Cease holding citizenship ceremonies on January 26, commencing in 2024
• Conduct a public consultation on whether or not the Council should conduct a ceremony on January 26 in 2024 and subsequent years to mark a national day
• Consult with the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation as to whether Council should support any other ceremony on January 26, for example to mark the sorrow and suffering of Aboriginal people because and since their country was taken from them and their survival, resilience and healing despite it; and/or to lower the Aboriginal flag to half-mast on that day; and/or to host an annual community event on another day to recognise and celebrate First Nations peoples and reconciliation in the Boroondara community
• Subject to the result of the public consultation, write to the Federal government advocating for a new national day to replace January 26.