Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative (Wathaurong) and our Community is deeply saddened and outraged by the City of Greater Geelong’s (the Council) decision to celebrate January 26 as Australia Day without further consultation with our Community.

Since 1938, First Nations peoples have recognised January 26 as a ‘Day of Mourning’ and have continuously lobbied to change the date. This day serves as a stark reminder of the historical injustices faced by First Nations people, including massacres, cultural dispossession, and the impacts of the Stolen Generations that are still affecting our community today.

In May 2023, the Council acknowledged the pain January 26 causes to First Nations Peoples and made a bold and progressive decision to stop officially referring to January 26 as “Australia Day.” This decision, following extensive community engagement, was a significant step towards reconciliation and truth-telling. Many other councils followed this lead, and we hoped it marked a new beginning where our voices would be heard, and we could walk together.

Instead, the Council’s recent decision to reinstate January 26 celebrations as “Australia Day” has caused profound pain and disappointment within our community. This action undermines the Council’s prior commitment to truth-telling and reconciliation and sets a poor example for other councils.

The Council claims this is a Federal issue, but we believe it is everyone’s responsibility. The Council can still choose to do the right thing. We urge the Council to honour its previous commitments and engage in meaningful dialogue with our community.

We call for an immediate meeting with the Council to discuss this critical issue.

CHANGE THE DATE!