originally broke open during a fiery June council meeting<\/a>. <\/p>\nDuring what should have been a routine vote to allocate funding to several charities and community organisations, the chamber split over a $10,000 grant to the Melbourne Day Committee. <\/p>\n
The clash forced Lord Mayor Nick Reece to split his motion in two so that a separate debate could be held, after several progressive councillors objected to the celebrations.<\/p>\n
This conflict led to Councillor Philip Le Liu pledging that he would restore the council\u2019s Australia Day celebrations. <\/p>\n
Declaring that \u201cit is time for change here at the City of Melbourne,\u201d Mr Le Liu signalled an effort to reverse the council\u2019s stance on the national holiday.<\/p>\n
Australia Day has been gone from the council for four years. <\/p>\n
In 2022, under former Lord Mayor Sally Capp, the council voted to stop recognising the national day on January 26 and join the broader campaign to change the date.<\/p>\n
Now, the showdown has resurfaced, with a new motion set to be debated on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
This Melbourne Day motion is the first of a two-part campaign to build support for the upcoming, contentious Australia Day motion.<\/p>\n
While the Melbourne Day motion will likely pass through council with no more than three votes against, the upcoming Australia Day motion will be one of the first significant tests of what has been a largely collegiate councillor group.<\/p>\n
Liberal and centre-right aligned councillors Owen Guest, Gladys Liu, Rafael Camillo, and Philip Le Liu are all expected to vote in favour of Australia Day.<\/p>\n
However, Lord Mayor Nick Reece will have to consider his allegiance to the previous Sally Capp-led council, in which he served as the Deputy Lord Mayor, which ended Australia Day festivities in the city.<\/p>\n
While Team Reece councillors Mark Scott and Kevin Louey should be expected to vote in line with Mr. Reece, it could leave Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell with a difficult decision to make.<\/p>\n
While Ms Campbell was elected on the Team Reece ticket, her recent preselection for the Liberal Party in November\u2019s election could leave her with an awkward conversation with her state colleagues if she voted the motion down.<\/p>\n
With the expected support of Mr Guest, Ms Liu, Mr Le Liu, and Ms Campbell, only one other vote would be needed to pass the Australia Day motion. <\/p>\n
This dynamic puts councillor Andrew Rowse in the hot seat, who previously chose to abstain during the June vote.<\/p>\n
Greens councillor Olivia Ball and councillor Davydd Griffiths \u2013 a Labor candidate for Melbourne \u2013 both voted against June\u2019s Melbourne Day motion.<\/p>\n
During the June debate, Ms Ball argued that because the council and the majority of its citizens do not support celebrating January 26 due to the \u201cdispossession of our sovereign First Nations,\u201d they would feel similarly about Melbourne Day \u201cif they had ever heard of it\u201d.<\/p>\n
The motion on Tuesday night will include several key initiatives designed to elevate the profile of Melbourne Day, celebrated on August 30 to mark the founding of modern Melbourne. <\/p>\n
The notice of motion, moved by Mr Le Liu and seconded by Mr Camillo asks the council to boost funding for Melbourne Day celebrations, including raising the Melbourne flag around the city and adding activations across the city.<\/p>\n
Mr Camillo told the Herald Sun that it was powerful that this change was being brought on by two immigrants.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud to be an immigrant, alongside my colleague Mr Philip Le Liu. We both came to this country seeking opportunity, and we both found a home in Melbourne,\u201d Mr Camillo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, as a councillor, I\u2019m proud to help lead a motion that gives all of us, long-time residents and newcomers alike, the chance to celebrate our city, its history, and the people and organisations that make Melbourne one of the most vibrant and liveable cities in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An Australia Day showdown in Melbourne City Council has resurfaced as councillors prepare to vote on a 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