This Sydney Council Moves To Ban Australia Day Celebrations

Should January 26th be a day of commemoration or celebration? 

If you live in the inner west of Sydney Australia Day celebrations may soon be ditched in favour of the Aboriginal festival Yabun. The council is attempting to create a "more respectful" approach to mark the day the First Fleet of British ships arrived at Port Jackson in 1788. 

The Inner West Council will next week vote on a motion to move celebration events from the "traditional" Australia Day in January and instead recognise it as a day of sadness for many people.

Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne said moving the Australia Day celebrations at Enmore Park to a different date will respect the wishes of the Indigenous (and many non-Indigenous) people who reside in the inner west. 

"We're seeking to take a more respectful approach to January 26 and acknowledge that for Aboriginal people it marks the onset of colonisation, dispossession, the removal of children and the deliberate destruction of language and culture," Mr Byrne said.

"There's a growing number of local communities and people across Australia that think the 26th of January should be a commemoration not a celebration and the ongoing hurt that Aboriginal people feel shouldn't be exacerbated through fireworks and festivals."

Cr Byrne said locals could instead gather at Victoria Park in the inner-city for the Aboriginal festival Yabun on January 26.

The proposal will come before council next week and is likely to pass with the support of Labor councillors and the Greens.

About time or un-Australian? Let us know in the comments! 

 

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