Mount Gambier City Council abandoned plans to “pause” its 2024 Australia Day celebrations at its meeting last week.

A report tabled for elected members was presented and noted, recommending that council pause the combined Australia Day Breakfast Event including Citizen of the Year Awards and Citizenship Ceremony traditionally delivered on January 26.

The report also recommended that council hold its Citizenship Ceremony on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 2pm in City Hall and that council continue to facilitate the Citizen of Year Awards and holding the award ceremony in conjunction with Volunteer Week May 20-26, 2024.

Also included in the noted report was a recommendation that council utilises the pause as an opportunity to explore and engage on the provision of more inclusive programming that celebrates our intergenerational and diverse community, including multicultural and First Nations peoples.

However, Councillor Max Bruins proposed an alternate recommendation that council continue to hold the Australia Day breakfast event in 2024 and explores modified programming for 2024 and ensure more inclusive programs that celebrate our intergenerational and diverse community including multicultural and First Nations peoples.

It also moved that council hold its Citizenship Ceremony on Wednesday January 24, 2024 at 2pm in City Hall, prior to Australia Day to enable those who are becoming citizens to undertake the process prior to the Australia Day breakfast and associated activities.

The alternate motion proposed that council continue to facilitate the Citizen of Year Awards on Australia Day for 2024 and a review be conducted post Australia Day 2024 to determine if it is more appropriate to continue to hold the Citizen of the Year Awards on Australia Day or if it moves the Award Ceremony in conjunction with Volunteer Week.

The alternate motion was seconded by Cr Paul Jenner and carried after being supported by Crs Josh Lynagh, Frank Morello, Jason Virgo, Paul Jenner, Max Bruins and Sonya Mezinec.

Cr Kate Amoroso voted against the motion, while Cr Mark Lovett was an apology at the meeting.

In delivering his alternate recommendation, Cr Bruins said a large portion of the community wanted to see the event continue in 2024.

“Since the agenda has been published my phone has been ringing off the hook with extensive public feedback coming in from a large portion of the community who still want to see an event in 2024 of some description and continue beyond that,” Cr Bruins said.

“We have had extensive discussions in the chamber and around the sensitivities around the event.

“The alternate recommendation facilitates a transitional arrangement. Still hold a community event in 2024 and review more broadly with 12 months community consultation moving forward.”

Mayor Lynette Martin said she realised the matter was a sensitive and complex issue.

“There’s a broad range of views in our community. Members are elected to represent those broad views,” she said.

“Since my first Australia Day as Mayor I felt that an event more inclusive of our multicultural community and an event that really celebrates everyone in our community would be more appropriate.”

Mayor Martin also noted the disruption to events due to COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year was the first we held an event since 2019. It’s time to look at how we as a community celebrate in a more inclusive way,” she said.

“In recent years we have noticed that community participation in the Australia Day breakfast and the Citizen of the Year Awards has been declining and we feel the event needs to be reinvigorated.

“After some discussion and considering initial feedback received from the community, councillors ultimately decided to hold an Australia Day breakfast and Citizen of the Year award ceremony in 2024.

“However, we really want to focus on acknowledging and celebrating outstanding community members and how we make the event more inclusive for our younger people, families, diverse multicultural community and our First Nations people.”

Mayor Martin said the date of the citizenship ceremony had been shifted to align with the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code.

The Code requires a citizenship ceremony to be held on the three days before or after January 26.

“Council decided to host the event before Australia Day so that our newly conferred citizens can attend and celebrate their citizenship,” Mayor Martin said.

Mayor Martin said council would consult with the community to increase the levels of engagement at council events in the future.

In response to the alternate recommendation, Cr Morello said it was important to recognise and to do so with sensitivity.

“Over time it has changed. My observations over recent years, differences have declined,” he said.

“We have a rich, diverse community. Together we can celebrate our identity that reflects who we are.

“(We) need to start a community-led conversation.

“After the 2024, event the following 12 months gives us the time and space to conduct the conversation.”

Council’s chief executive Sarah Philpott said the suggested change was part of a regular review of council events.

“We’re being conscious of the conversations that are going on around Australia Day,” she said.

“We spoke to our Aboriginal reference group and they were very balanced about this and said they recognised there’s a range of views around Australia Day.”

Council had sought preliminary feedback from its Yerkalalpata Reconciliation Action Plan Community Reference Group, following discussion among elected members earlier this year.

“They were looking at including opportunities for First Nations voices or representation,” Ms Philpott said.