FEDERAL Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie and former Greater Taree City Council mayor, Eddie Loftus have slammed MidCoast's Council's decision move the annual citizenship ceremony away from Australia Day.
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It will now be held on Monday, January 29 at Forster Civic Centre's Coolongolook Room from 2pm.
The ceremony is traditionally held in conjunction with Australia Day functions. It has been part of Taree's Australia Day ceremony since 2019.
"I am disappointed that MidCoast Council has made a political decision to move the Australia Day citizenship ceremony to January 29, having previously held Australia Day citizenship ceremonies each year on January 26,'' Dr Gillespie said.
"I can see no reason why the citizenship ceremony date needs to be changed and I know that the vast majority of our community will be disappointed too.''
Taree businessman Mr Loftus served as a Greater Taree City councillor for 17 years, with one term as mayor.
He was scathing of the current council's decision.
"Two of the most important days in Australia are Anzac Day and Australia Day,'' he said.
"My shops don't open either day, because I think both should be respected.''
Mr Loftus said he was informed by Cr Jeremy Miller about council's decision to move the ceremony to January 29. Mr Loftus claims it was made by 'bureaucrats.'
Not democratic
"We elect councillors to make these decisions and this wasn't a democratic decision,'' he fumed.
"This would never have happened in my time as mayor and it would never have happened in the time of the two mayors who influenced me the most, Les Brown and John Hackney.
"Decisions then were made by councillors, not bureaucrats.''
He said he was honoured to officiate at citizenship ceremonies while mayor.
"I would have welcomed hundreds of new Australians in that time,'' he said.
Council decided to move the citizenship ceremony to Forster for this year. There's no community or council-organised Australia Day celebration in the Forster or Tuncurry.
In a response to a Times inquiry, council said the decision to conduct a citizenship ceremony on Monday, January 29, allows the mayor and councillors to attend Australia Day events in their own communities.
"MidCoast Council supports Australia Day events across the region to allow community groups and members to recognise the day,'' council added.
"Financial support is provided to community groups running Australia Day events and a number of these events will be attended by MidCoast councillors.''
More than 80 councils around Australia have decided to change the date of the citizenship ceremony from January 26.
