Geelong council will permanently cease referring to January 26 as Australia Day, as part of a series of changes to how the city commemorates the contentious date.
Councillors on Tuesday evening voted to support an overhaul of how the city marks January 26, noting its "traumatic historical impact to the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and First Nations Peoples of the Geelong Region".
Key actions resulting from the vote will include the city ceasing referring to the date as Australia Day, rescheduling citizenship ceremonies to different dates, advocating to the federal government "regarding a conversation about change the date", and developing education opportunities for residents to learn about the history of the date in a local context.
The city will also aim to deliver a formalised "First Nations peoples acknowledgement" and cultural events and activities to be held across the region each year on January 26, including a truth-telling ceremony at Johnstone Park.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the move, with councillor Jim Mason speaking about the need for improved education around the painful history of how First Nations people were treated in Australia.
"This is not about changing the date, but improving the way we celebrate the 26th of January," Cr Mason said.
"How to make it better for the 3,750 or more City of Greater Geelong First Nations people, so they don't feel marginalised, so they don't feel so sad or ignored as to feel the need to stay home or to go to the Surf Coast or Ballarat to garner emotional support on the 26th of January.
"All of this makes January 26th a day of sorrow, a day to grieve the loss of culture, the loss of country, spiritual and physical, and the loss of family networks… that is intergenerational trauma."
The change to how the city commemorates January 26 followed a six-month community consultation period which received 957 responses, including the largest contribution the city has reported receiving from First Nations people.
Each of the 447 contributions from First Nations people "included negative feelings; of sadness, disconnection, or a wish for change about the subject", the city's engagement report noted.
"This overall sentiment for change was echoed by just under 70 per cent of the broader community's feedback."
The city undertook the community consultation on the advice of its Kilangitj Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
The city also noted any decisions to change the date of Australia Day would lie with the federal government.
