The City of Cockburn's response to the Fremantle Herald about the City of Cockburn's 2024 Australia Day activities, 16.1.24
Question: How much is it costing to put on the 2024 Coogee Beach Festival on Australia Day?
Answer: The City has budgeted a total of $129,500 for the 2024 Australia Day Coogee Beach Festival. This amount includes a $20,000 grant from Auspire – Australia Day Council WA.
Question: National sentiment seems to be growing towards not having a celebratory event on Australia Day. Does the mayor feel Cockburn residents still want an event on January 26?
Answer: As Mayor of Cockburn, I acknowledge that people have mixed feelings about Australia Day.
The National Australia Day Council has stated that our national day can be a time where we celebrate and mourn at the same time, when we can honour all that is great about Australia and being Australian, while also remembering the suffering and our shortcomings; and commit to build a more cohesive and inclusive nation.
The Australia Day Coogee Beach Festival event, which was adopted by Council as part of the 2023-2024 annual events calendar, acknowledges that the day is a difficult one for many, in particular our First Nations people. It always includes a Welcome to Country from a local Elder.
The matter of Australia Day events for 2025 will be considered by Council as part of its annual deliberations around all events planned by the City for the 2024-2025 financial year. This will occur later in 2024 once Council receives a recommendation from the City’s Expenditure Review Committee.
The City of Cockburn is committed to a journey of reconciliation with our vision being to create an inclusive community with strong relationships across cultures based on mutual respect and understanding.
Our newly adopted
Reconciliation Action Plan 2023-2025 outlines the actions that Council has committed to, to progress reconciliation. These include celebrating National Reconciliation Week, acknowledging Sorry Day, and undertaking various activities during NAIDOC Week. - City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett.
Question: Some councils have moved their citizenship ceremony from Australia 26 to another date. Is that something you ever considered for this year?
Answer: See above.