Melbourne council moves to abandon Australia Day citizenship ceremonies

The future of citizenship ceremonies at three Melbourne councils hangs in the balance, as the federal government refuses to reveal whether it will revoke a Coalition-era policy that forces the ceremonies to be held on 26 January.

The Greens-led Merri-bek council, in Melbourne’s north, on Wednesday voted to abandon Australia Day citizenship ceremonies and instead honour the date with a mourning event to recognise the dispossession of Indigenous Australians.

But the decision was suspended hours later, after a Labor councillor moved a motion to repeal it, and it is yet to be resolved.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, on Thursday reiterated his support for the public holiday but acknowledged it was a “deeply emotional” date for First Nations people.

“We can respectfully acknowledge our past, but also come together and celebrate what a modern Australia is all about,” he said.

“We can be embracing and accepting and show proper respect to that oldest culture in human history.”

According to data from the Department of Home Affairs, there were 511 people waiting for citizenship ceremonies to be conducted in the Merri-bek council area as of 8 July.

The council will hold a special meeting later this month to debate the matter and determine a final position. Wednesday’s vote was the second time the council had attempted to scrap citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.

Two other Melbourne councils have refused to adhere to the federal requirement for all councils to hold the ceremonies on 26 January.

Despite the mounting pressure, a spokesperson for federal immigration and citizenship minister Andrew Giles would not comment on whether the commonwealth would overturn the former Coalition government’s policy.

In 2017, the Turnbull-led Coalition government revoked the rights of Yarra city council and Darebin council to host citizenship ceremonies after they voted to not hold the events on 26 January.

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The then prime minister Malcom Turnbull blasted the two councils, labelling them “out of step with Australian values”.

Both councils have been lobbying the Albanese government for their right to be reinstated since the May election, with the aim of being able to hold citizenship ceremonies on dates other than 26 January.

Maribyrnong council, in Melbourne’s north-west, this week voted to lobby the federal government to change the code and allow councils the freedom to hold ceremonies on dates other than 26 January.

This came after the Melbourne city council in September resolved to lobby the Albanese government to change the date of Australia Day from 26 January, despite the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, saying there are no plans to shift the national celebration.

Linda Scott, president of the Australian Local Government Association, said the body would continue to advocate for councils to “consider the scope of Australia Day activities based on consultations with their communities”.