Aboriginal Australians criticize local governments for restoring funds to mark contested holiday

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – Aboriginal Australians have condemned local governments for deciding to fund this weekend’s Australia Day celebrations, reversing earlier stances to withhold any funding.

Greater Shepparton, a city in the state of Victoria, chose to reverse its decision to withhold funding for the Australia Day celebrations after just one year, according to ABC News. After canceling the funding for the controversial holiday in 2023, the decision to reverse the funding was made last December.

"It was a decision that myself and others in the community saw (as) … very uninformed and uneducated," said Neil Morris, an Indigenous man.

He said the First Nations community was not consulted about the change, which left them feeling shocked.

Following Greater Shepparton’s lead, the Strathbogie Shire, also in Victoria, decided to reinstate funding for the celebrations.

Australia Day, held annually on Jan. 26, is officially recognized as the nation’s founding day.

This date marks the historic arrival of the first British fleet to the Australian continent in 1788.

However, for Indigenous Australians, the day represents mourning, not celebration.

They highlight the loss of lives and ongoing discrimination since the British first arrived, calling it "Invasion Day.”