TRANSCRIPT
Just over three months after Australia voted to reject the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, some local councils have taken matters in to their own hands by changing the date of their annual citizenship ceremonies.
January 26 is Australia's national day and the date when local councils hold citizenship ceremonies.
But it also the date in 1788 marking the start of colonisation when British explorers raised the British flag at Sydney Cove to claim the land as a British Colony.
For some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it's a day of mourning and protest.
Changing attitudes towards January 26 have led more than 80 (81) local councils to change the date of their local citizenship ceremonies.
Fremantle local council in Western Australia is among the group of councils changing their ceremony date to January 27.
It has also committed to shifting the focus of the date from one of celebration to one of truth telling - a shift many are welcoming.
"I think it is a fantastic idea, like I think myself, I would like to learn more about it. Like I hear bits and pieces now and I don't particularly celebrate it or go out of my way to do anything for it. So I think it would be a great idea."
Others in Fremantle, like Marty Dight, told NITV that changing the date is not enough.
"I don't think there should be Australia at all, the land was already taken, so to speak, when they say Cook came and that's the day of Australia Day, the 26th. Well it was already taken, we already had our people on it. The Nunga people and I'm a big believer that there should not be Australia Day at all. So I think that the Aboriginals, if they want to make a date to celebrate their people, they can make up a date. But we don't have a say in it I personally think, I think it's up to the Aboriginals."
A year ago the Albanese government scrapped rules - introduced by the previous Coalition government in 2017 - which forced local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies only on January 26 - or have their ability to hold ceremonies removed.
As a result, two Melbourne councils - the City of Yarra and Darebin City Council - lost the ability to hold ceremonies, but had it later reinstated by the Albanese government.
Citizenship ceremonies can now be held from January 23 to January 29.
In recent years, calls to change the date of Australia Day from January 26 have grown louder, as public awareness and education around the date's implications for First Nations people have been amplified by the work of First Nations activists and politicians.
Annual protests took the place of annual parades in Victoria, when last year the state government quietly axed its Australia Day events.
While support has grown for the changing of the date, some Australians are still opposed to the idea.
"I think truth telling has a legitimate place and it should happen, but I don't think it should interfere with Australia. Australia Day as far as I'm concerned is inclusive of everyone and it's about everyone regardless of creed, colour, race, that sort of thing. I think we just carry on celebrating Australia Day and maybe have a separate day to do some truth telling surrounding whatever issues people find a problem."
This year, New South Wales will hold Australia Day events in Sydney on January 26th with the theme of 'Reflect, Respect, Celebrate.
Proud Wiradjuri woman, Yvonne Weldon is an independent councillor for the City of Sydney, a representative of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council; and the deputy chair of the New South Wales Australia Day Council.
She says the shift shows councils are hearing what people want.
"Look it's a reflection of how local councils are engaging with the local communities strangely enough, and there has been, you can become a citizen on any day that is chosen in those ceremonies and so the way I think some of the councils and the local communities are changing is how they have engaged in a meaningful way with their local communities. "
She says that whatever people decide to do on January 26th, it is always important to have honest conversations about the day.
"Oh look you know, we are diverse groups. There are many ways that people will not participate in these types of events. There are people that will come to an event for the 26th of January here and again will leave here and go be with their mob as well, which is exactly what I do. You know it doesn't change where we are or where we're from or who we are but it's a matter of how do we actually walk together and have some of those honest conversations that haven't been held in the past."
