Adelaide’s City of Unley Council has reversed its decision to move Australia Day events away from 26 January, after a public survey revealed the local community disagreed with the move.
In September last year, the Council voted 7-5 to hold citizenship ceremonies on 25 January.
However, a public poll conducted by Council in July found that 60% of the 510 residents surveyed felt that citizenship and awards ceremonies should remain in place on 26 January.
The survey asked whether Council should hold a citizenship and Australia Day awards ceremony on 26 January 2025, and if it should hold an Australia Day community event in 2025.
This week, Counciltors voted again – 8-4 – to reinstate Australia Day citizenship and awards ceremonies to January 26 in light of the survey results.
The Council said that around 72% of respondents indicated their desire for a community event, with 80% of those people choosing 26 January.Â
“We appreciate the feedback from all those who participated in the consultation, and while we recognise that not everyone will agree with this outcome, we believe it reflects the majority sentiment of our community,” said Mayor, Michael Hewitson (pictured on Australia Day 2023).
