Dutton's Bold Stand: Is Australia Day a Celebration or a Source of Shame? Unpacking the PM's Controversial Signals to Councils.

Peter Dutton has announced plans to mandate that local councils conduct citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, emphasizing the significance of the holiday in fostering national pride and unity among new citizens.

Peter Dutton has asserted that Australians should take pride in Australia Day, reaffirming a commitment by the Coalition to dismantle Labor's regulations concerning citizenship ceremonies. If granted electoral victory, he promises to enforce local councils to conduct these ceremonies on January 26 within his initial 100 days in office.

Currently, local councils are permitted a three-day window surrounding January 26 to organize such events. However, many local governments have recently announced their intention to revert to holding ceremonies specifically on Australia Day.

During a press conference on Monday, Dutton's remarks marked a significant escalation, as he criticized the decision of Stephen Smith, Australia’s high commissioner to Britain, who opted not to attend an Australia Day gala dinner, describing this stance as “beyond comprehension.”

Should he ascend to leadership, Dutton will mandate that councils observe Australia Day for citizenship ceremonies, emphasizing the importance of this date. He articulated how Labor's approach has indicated a notion of embarrassment surrounding Australia’s national day. “I believe we inhabit the finest country globally, and I take pride in our identity, as well as in our Indigenous heritage. Our nation deserves to uphold and defend its core values,” he remarked in front of the press.

He elaborated that the current Prime Minister's actions have sent a message to local councils, implying that Australia Day is insignificant and something to be ashamed of. “While the Prime Minister may not explicitly mention this, it is indeed the message being conveyed,” Dutton stated.

The significance of Australia Day has become increasingly debated over the years. Dutton reiterated that repealing the regulations instituted during the Labor administration would serve as a demonstration of national pride and unity within Australia. “I want to see us united, standing firmly for our beliefs. Through unity, we will reinstate pride in our nation, and collectively, we will thrive,” he noted.

Additionally, he stressed that this revitalization of pride is contingent upon a change in government at the next federal election.

In response to Dutton's statements, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned that his local council, which is Sydney’s Inner West Council, continues to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26. This declaration could potentially escalate tensions within certain inner-city councils that have embraced Labor's reforms, including the City of Sydney, where prominent mayor Clover Moore has been a long-time proponent of altering the date of Australia Day in support of Indigenous communities.

The January 26 date remains a focal point of contention, especially among Indigenous groups, as it commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, which marked the onset of British colonization in Australia.