Shire of Gnowangerup joins growing list of local governments dropping Australia Day celebrations

A Great Southern shire will no longer host Australia Day festivities amid falling attendance, and out of respect for the local Noongar community. On July 30, the Shire of Gnowangerup council announced it would no longer facilitate an Australia Day event after a low turnout in 2024, polarising political views, and a lack of support from the Noongar community. The council made the decision in an informal council workshop in February but withheld its announcement until July out of respect for the importance of January 26. Councillor and Noongar elder Robbie Miniter said Australia Day should be inclusive for all Australians. “It should be on a different day that would be more inclusive for everyone to celebrate the great country we all share,” he said. “Australia Day will always be seen as a celebration at a traumatising time for our people.” Shire chief executive officer David Nicholson said the biggest issue was the clear absence of young people and Noongar community members at the annual celebration. “The primary reason is they are conscious of being inclusive and the importance of the date to the Noongar nation,” he said. “The younger generation doesn’t see it in the same light as the older generations. “Our council are attuned to our community. Whilst our past events have been seen as a positive, the council are listening to people that did not come, and reflected on that.” Australia Day events have disappeared from at least 81 other council calendars nationwide since the 2022 Australian Government law change allowing councils to conduct ceremonies and celebrations three days before or after January 26. According to Roy Morgan’s 2024 nationwide study, country regions were more likely to vote yes to keeping the Australia Day date — 79.5 per cent — than those in metro areas — 63 per cent. Mr Nicholson said Fremantle City Council led the Australia Day date movement for West Australian councils. “It was revealed that we were, to a great extent, an outlier,” he said. “Clearly, the date is very important to many people. It’s just an event that would be best facilitated and celebrated by, for example, a community group, not the shire.” About 15 comments seen by the Great Southern Herald on the Shire of Gnowangerup’s Facebook page before they were deleted were negative overall, with one user calling the decision “not very democratic”.