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WA mayors have pushed back against a Greens campaign to dump Australia Day celebrations on January 26, saying party politics has no place in local government. As the Greens revealed it had
enlisted star power to help in its anti-Australia Day campaign, WA councils said they should focus on delivering services to ratepayers and leave decisions about changing the date of
Australia Day to the Federal Government. Greens leader Richard Di Natale this week pledged the Federal party’s support and resources to Greens councillors if they launched campaigns to shift
local government celebrations out of respect for Aboriginal people. The call to arms was slammed by many on both sides of politics, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who yesterday
accused Opposition Leader Bill Shorten of being silent on the issue. Mr Shorten has previously said he supported keeping Australia Day on the anniversary of the First Fleet’s arrival. Former
Home and Away actress Isabelle Lucas has joined the Greens’ push, appearing in a video in which she says, “Now’s the time to change the date of Australia Day”. Veteran Australia actor Tony
Barry also appears. The Greens campaign has received a mostly cool reception from WA mayors, with Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi saying changing the date of Australia Day was a matter for
the Federal Government, not local government. “It is important local government councils and councillors remain apolitical, and State or Federal political parties should not attempt to
influence council decisions or lobby for favourable outcomes,” she said. Bayswater deputy mayor Chris Cornish echoed Ms Scaffidi’s words, saying any discussion “needs to happen at a national
level following extensive community debate”. At WA’s biggest council, the City of Stirling, mayor Mark Irwin said local governments’ focus “should remain on providing better customer
service and quality infrastructure and services to ratepayers and residents”. City of Armadale mayor Henry Zelones said local Aboriginal elders had told him they were happy with the status
quo and he would continue to listen to them. Claremont mayor Jock Barker said Senator Di Natale would be better off looking at “matters that actually affect Aboriginal people in their
day-to-day lives”. “I see it as simply a cynical, headline-grabbing exercise for which the Greens are noted rather than appropriately seeking actually do something positive to assist
Aboriginal people,” he said. The City of Fremantle last year became the first WA council to move its Australia Day celebrations from January 26. A handful of councils nationwide have also
made the switch. Most WA councils have reaffirmed their intention to retain the official date for celebrations and citizenship ceremonies. The City of Cockburn has commissioned talks with
the Aboriginal community about activities at Australia Day celebrations. Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt said the port city’s decision was “very much driven and initiated by feedback we got
from Aboriginal leaders in our community”. He said it was an issue he had not considered until about 18 months ago when he was challenged on it. He said he expected to see change but it
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