Published on Monday, 16 January 2023 at 10:00:55 AM
As Australia Day celebrations slowly change over the years, Katherine Town Council is doing its best to be inclusive while the date remains January 26.
“We know there is contention with the date,” Mayor Lis Clark said. “At this stage, we’re trying to make our event about what it means to be Australian. We are a multicultural society and we want to celebrate our strength, our generosity and our resilience.”
Council’s visual promotion of the day includes the Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag.
“We have these flags year-round in front of our Civic Centre,” Mayor Clark said. “With about 25 per cent of the territory’s population being Indigenous, it’s important that they are acknowledged.”
Council’s event on Thursday January 26 will run from 9am to 11am at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre. They will award the Katherine Citizen of the Year and acknowledge nominees, a citizenship ceremony will be held to welcome new citizens, the Australia Day cake will be cut and guests will enjoy a catered morning tea.
The event will also have a jet fly-over at 11am, from the Royal Australian Air Force.
The community is invited to be part of these celebrations.
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