A Melbourne council has made history by becoming the first in the nation to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day out of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Yarra City councillors voted on Tuesday night voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day and to cease holding any citizenship ceremonies on that day from 2018.
Despite pressure from the federal government against such a move, all councillors voted unanimously.
All clauses passed unamended despite some fiery submissions from a few people in the audience who said the council hadn't surveyed the community widely enough.
Councillor Mi-Lin Chen Yi Mei, who brought the motion forward, said it was an important move because the day was not inclusive.
"It's really an opportunity to engage with the community and to educate them on Indigenous affairs," she told the meeting.
