Immigration Minister Andrew Giles on Friday said the “pragmatic” change meant citizenship ceremonies could take place from January 23 to 29, reversing a Morrison government policy that required councils to hold one on January 26 as part of their Australia Day celebrations
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he won’t be moving Australia Day from January 26 after the government granted local councils the freedom to hold citizenship ceremonies on the three days either side.
The change comes days after Merri-bek City Council in inner-north Melbourne voted to follow the lead of the Yarra and Darebin councils by moving its Australia Day citizenship ceremonies away from January 26, which many Indigenous people consider a day of mourning.