September 24th 2024.
The city of Adelaide's vibrant suburb of Unley recently made the decision to reverse their previous plans to change the date of their annual Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and Awards. This decision came after much deliberation and community consultation, with a majority of residents expressing their desire to keep the traditional date of January 26.
Initially, the council had decided to hold the official events on January 25 this year, without consulting the community. They also chose not to organize a community event, which caused some controversy among residents and council members. However, Councillor Rebekah Rogers motioned for the residents to have a say in the matter, and the council ultimately allocated $20,000 towards next year's celebrations.
After conducting a public survey, the council found that 60.6% of its 842 respondents voted in favor of keeping the events and celebrations on the nationally-recognized date of January 26. Last night, the council met to discuss the results and voted 8-4 in favor of having the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and Awards on January 26 next year.
Mayor Michael Hewitson acknowledged the community's clear stance on the issue, stating, "Our community has made their views clear. Additionally, 72% expressed their desire for a community event, with 80% of those respondents preferring it be held on January 26th." He also recognized that not everyone will agree with the outcome, but it reflects the majority sentiment of the community.
The date of Australia Day celebrations has always been a topic of strong emotions, both in our community and across the nation. Mayor Hewitson acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating, "We recognize that this is a complex issue with a range of perspectives." However, according to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code, councils must hold a Citizenship Ceremony on Australia Day or within three days before or after, each year. The council typically incorporates the Australia Day Awards into their Citizenship Ceremony, making it a special and meaningful event for all involved.
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