A Wyndham resident is calling on the council to reconsider hosting Australia Day and civic celebrations on 26 January.
Wyndham for Palestine spokesperson Fatima Measham said some in the community do not support the council’s decision to host celebrations on the public holiday.
“By retaining Australia Day in the calendar, Wyndham Council is sending the wrong message to our multicultural communities, that a sense of belonging to this land could be based on the dispossession of it,” Ms Measham said.
“That is shameful, and should be open to the community to interrogate.”
Across the west, Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay councils have moved away from holding events on the contentious date, while neighbouring Geelong has backflipped and reinstated a celebration.
Ms Measham said that many Wyndham residents were born in or belong to a diaspora of people whose countries experienced colonialism and disposession.
“Many members of the community come from countries that were colonised, as well as religious backgrounds that are about love and justice.
“So we recognise harm when we see it and respond with solidarity.
“In other countries, such days are based on independence and freedom from oppression which, as a settler-colony, will never be our foundation story.
“We would like to see the idea of Australia Day itself examined as a national celebration. If we’re going to have a unifying moment in the year, it should be built around a Treaty with Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.
“That is a much more inclusive moment that we can work toward.”
Mayor Josh Gilligan pulled no punches in his response.
“Australia Day is here to stay in Wyndham and so is our commitment to recognising local heroes who make Wyndham a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Cr Gilligan said.
“We are a nation who created Wi-Fi, the cervical cancer vaccine, Vegemite and AC/DC, just to name a few achievements.
“We should be proud to celebrate all we’ve achieved on 26th of January every year.”
