Premier Jacinta Allan washes her hands of decision to bring back Melbourne’s once iconic Australia Day parade.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has dismissed the possibility of reviving Melbourne’s Australia Day parade, asserting that the decision lies with the organising committee and the City of Melbourne.
The annual event was quietly shelved for the third consecutive year by the state government, with no plans for its return in the upcoming celebrations.
In response to inquiries about the parade’s revival, Ms Allan diverted attention to the ‘importance of local events in regional communities, suburbs, and country areas, tailoring celebrations to suit diverse community sentiments.’
Allan talked about the ‘challenges some individuals face’ on Australia Day, stating:
“There are some in our community for whom Australia Day is a difficult day, and there are events and activities in their local communities to support them.”
Expressing satisfaction with a ‘decentralised’ approach, she talked up the connection it fosters within local communities.
The government’s official Australia Day events in Melbourne, including a 21-gun salute, a Royal Australian Air Force flyover, and a mini-festival at Federation Square, are set to proceed.
A government website controversially labelled the day as “a day of mourning and reflection for some Victorians” and reaffirms the commitment to ‘addressing historical injustices through Treaty and the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.’
In 2022, the City of Melbourne sought to change the date of Australia Day.
