Prime Minister Condemns Yarra Council for Replacing Australia Day Ceremony
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned a Melbourne council’s decision to remove references to Australia Day and replacing its citizenship ceremony to mark “the loss of indigenous culture”, on August 16.
The City of Yarra voted unanimously to pass the motion on Tuesday night, with ABC reporting the council made the decision following months of consultation with local Indigenous communities.
The date is highly controversial with many Indigenous people and supporters referring to the anniversary of the First Settlers founding the colony of New South Wales in 1788 as “Invasion Day”.
Turnbull said he was “deeply disappointed” and made a speech in the House of Representatives on Wednesday lambasting the decision to turn a day of “celebration” into one of division. Credit: Australian Parliament House via Storyful
