Rockingham council hits out at Albanese Government for lack of action on Australia Day

More than 60 days after January 26, Australia Day was a hot topic again in Rockingham, with councillors blasting the Albanese government for forcing local governments to decide what date to celebrate it on. The council debated at its Tuesday meeting if the city should consult residents on hosting Australia Day celebrations on January 26 or an alternate date. The motion to consult the public was carried. Throughout the debate, mayor Deb Hamblin asked for quiet due to heckles and cheers coming from the public gallery. Many council members slammed the Albanese Government for forcing what should be a national debate about the date into the local government arena. The City of Rockingham was one of six local governments that held an Australia Day event after January 26. “In vacating their responsibility to lead the national debate around Australia Day, the Federal Government has farmed the responsibility out to local governments around the country,” Cr Peter Hudson, who moved the motion, said. “The scope of a council’s power in this space is not proportionate to the level of influence that local government electors expect their council to enjoy — after all, the point of a national holiday is to celebrate on the same day as a nation.” Cr Hudson — who was the Liberals’ unsuccessful candidate in the 2022 Federal election and last year’s Rockingham by-election to replace former Premier Mark McGowan — said initial public consultation to move the Australia Day event from January 26 to 27 in the city relied on a survey shared on Facebook. This survey garnered just 88 responses from Rockingham’s population of 140,000. “It beggars belief that this sample size is adequate to make such a culturally significant change like altering the date of Australia Day celebrations,” Cr Hudson said. “As a result of approving this policy with no public consultation, regardless of the intentions of the council, public perception is that the city has gone ‘woke’ and tried to cancel Australia Day by stealth. “Whether that perception is accurate, I have my doubts, however councillors will recall the dozens and dozens of phone calls and emails from furious residents expressing their support for our national day and condemning council’s decision to hold the Australia Day citizenship ceremony and fireworks on January 27th.” Cr Mark Jones said community consultation was required and the change had created disharmony and division. Cr Kelly Middlecoat was in support of consultation, saying in the absence of leadership from the Federal Government the local community should be allowed to shape the future of Australia Day. “In the absence of decisive action from our Federal leaders, it’s just perpetuated a cycle of widespread uncertainty and inconsistency year after year and all it does is erode the significance of our national day,” she said. “Our Federal Government should take the helm in navigating this contentious issue. Passing the responsibility on to individual councils only serves to exacerbate confusion and division. “If change is warranted, it should come from the top. It transcends the boundary of local government.” Cr Craig Buchanan voted against the motion as he believed there had been adequate consultation and he objected to ratepayers’ money being spent. “Would I like to see the Government get off its rear end and actually take some leadership in this space?” he said. “Yes I would because it would make it easier for all councils in this country, not least the 81 or so that took a stance on this matter. Until this happens, we have to work within the guidelines we have.” Ms Hamblin agreed that it should never have been a decision for local government.