The ACT Greens say January 26 is not a day of celebration and public money would be better spent on prompting participation in Reconciliation Day. 

“Along with many Canberrans, the Greens acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded,” said ACT Greens Leader and spokesperson for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Shane Rattenbury. 

“January 26 is not an easy date to celebrate when you accept the truth of the deep and ongoing harms colonisation has inflicted on First Nations people. 

“It is important that we come together as a community and I encourage Canberrans to support the Aboriginal Tent Embassy at their Sovereignty Day march on January 26, meeting at 9.30am at Garema Place. 

“Here in the ACT we have the nation’s only Reconciliation Day public holiday, so the Greens are calling on the NCA and the ACT Government to redirect any future funding for Australia Day celebrations to Reconciliation Day events,” Mr Rattenbury said. “If the Greens have responsibility for this decision after October’s ACT election, that is what we’ll do.” 

The ACT Government’s spending on Australia Day is shrinking, with no fireworks hosted since 2020. The Tenders ACT Contracts Register shows spending on marketing and event management services for Australia Day in 2022 totalling over $100,000, down to $25,000 for the 2023 event.