Council makes decision on Australia Day

The motion would deliver an annual Australia Day event on January 26 in Shepparton, including the awarding of the Greater Shepparton Australia Day awards.

This would align with Australia Day events in surrounding small towns.

It would also include citizenship ceremonies being held on January 26 as well, commencing in 2026.

Cr Summer first made an Acknowledgement to Country, and apologised for any distress this debate may cause.

“With good intentions, the last council took away Australia Day funding on January 26,” she said.

“Predictably, this was met with substantial backlash, with some towns choosing to forgo council grants altogether.”

Cr Summer said a “healed country would take the date of Australia Day as it stands”, and we should change the narrative of the date to something more positive, putting the Australia Day matter to rest.

After Cr Summer brought the motion forward, the reaction from the public gallery was strong, with a mini protest being staged by Traditional Custodian of the Land Neil Morris.

Mr Morris said the decision wasn’t premeditated.

“My reaction (to the motion) was deeply, deeply, deeply concerning and alarming,” he said.

Mr Morris said that Cr Summer’s speech about “working towards healing” struck him as disturbing.

“To turn around and say if you want healing in this community, then you just shut up and put up with what’s being forced upon you feels very colonial.”

Mr Morris, along with Michael Burke, organised the protest that took place, which saw many members of the public gather at the William Cooper statue in Queen's Gardens before the council meeting.

Many who attended the protest were present in the public gallery.

Cr Summer’s motion was seconded by Cr Rod Schubert, with Cr Paul Wickham, Cr Anthony Brophy and Cr Steven Threlfall all speaking for the motion.

Cr Brophy also put forward the recommendation of establishing a Shepparton Australia Day committee in 2025.

Cr Sam Spinks was the only councillor who spoke against the motion, saying this will “send us strongly backwards”.

“The Aboriginal community have been very clear in telling us that the date of January 26 causes them harm, and they understand the risks that comes with change,” Cr Spinks said.

“This motion essentially says we hear you, but we know better.”

All councillors except Cr Spinks voted in favour of Cr Summer’s motion, reinstating Shepparton’s Australia Day events on January 26.

Mr Morris said while the decision wasn’t surprising, he and the wider community will continue to advocate for the date to be changed.

In October 2022, councillors voted unanimously to advocate for Australia Day to be moved from January 26, and decided not to fund any Australia Day celebrations on January 26.

This year marked the first year Australia Day events in Shepparton weren’t held on January 26.

Towns surrounding Shepparton could still receive funding for their events through the Community Celebration Grants Program, but only if the celebration fell either side of January 26.

But some towns proceeded without grants, with Tatura and Murchison funding their own events on January 26.

At the 2024 April council meeting, council voted to reinstate that Greater Shepparton communities could hold their Australia Day events on January 26 if they wished, and receive funding from council.

It also aimed to keep Shepparton Australia Day events to be held after Australia Day in 2025, and hoped to establish a Shepparton Australia Day committee.

Mayor Shane Sali said council hadn’t established a Shepparton Australia Day committee this year due to lack of interest from community groups, but council would fill in the gap until one could be established.

Cr Sali acknowledged January 26 isn’t a day of celebration for some people in the community, but noted the importance of Shepparton having an Australia Day event to align with small towns.

“No doubt people in our community have different views on January 26, but we can’t dismiss it as our national day.”