Let's celebrate on Australia Day
Published on 12 January 2024
Fairfield City Council will make Australia Day merchandise available to residents for free in response to the recent decision by major supermarkets to no longer sell Australia Day merchandise.
Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone said Australia Day is an important day for all Australians and we need to come together to celebrate this nation we live in and be proud.
“I was born in Fairfield and my parents came here from Italy, and we are forever proud and grateful for the opportunities this country has provided for us. This is a time for leaders to come together to unite our nation, not divide it,” Mayor Carbone said.
“Major multinational organisations have no place in making political comments on our national day. This is something we are seeing more of - large organisations trying to tell people what to think. Their actions are completely against our Australian values and denies Australians the opportunity to be proud of who we are. During a time when people are struggling with cost-of-living pressures, major supermarkets should be focusing their efforts on reducing their prices instead of telling people what to think and using their stores to make political commentary.
“Australia Day is on 26 January and unless the government makes a decision to change the date, we will continue to celebrate on that date and be proud of who we are. It is time for the Prime Minister and the Premier to make it very clear what their intentions are for Australia Day and take leadership on this issue, instead of sitting back while commercial organisations weigh in on our national day with their unwanted opinions.
“Fairfield City Council welcomed more than 5,000 new citizens last year, probably the largest number across Australia and we are proud to host a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day as well as a celebration to recognise local residents with our Australia Day Community Awards. We are also proudly flying the Australian flag and banners across all 26 suburbs of our City.
“Flags and other merchandise will be available to pick up from Fairfield City Council’s administration centre, leisure centres and libraries from Monday 22 January 2024. Please come along, collect your merchandise and display it proudly on Australia Day.
“I encourage other councils to do the same. It is disappointing that as Mayor I need to speak up about this, but we want to make sure that the community is given the opportunity to display their pride on a day that is important to all of us.
“I also call on the state and federal governments to provide funding to all local councils to ensure that we continue to celebrate this day as a nation, united not divided.
“Australia Day is an important day in the calendar for us to celebrate being Australian and appreciate the country we live in, whether we were born here or came here from somewhere else, and to recognise and respect the past.”
Thousands of Australia Day products are currently being sourced by Council staff, including handheld Australian flags and temporary tattoos. Costs have not yet been determined but is expected to be a few thousand dollars and will be paid for from the Mayor’s Community Benefit Fund. Since first becoming Mayor 12 years ago, Mayor Frank Carbone has donated his annual car allowance to the fund for the benefit of the community. This amounts to tens of thousands of dollars every year.