Kempsey Shire Council have said holding the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and Australia Day Awards Ceremony on January 25 allows for council staff to get out and about in the community on Australia Day.
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Council’s general manager Craig Milburn spoke to the Argus and explained why council hold the ceremony a day earlier.
“It let’s councillors and council staff participate in Australia Day events that are held in Crescent Head and South West Rocks,” Mr Milburn said.
“We asked the fifteen residents who are becoming citizens when they would like to have the ceremony this year and they all wanted it on January 25.”
The shire’s formal Australia Day Awards Ceremony has been held on Australia Day eve (January 25) for the past four years. This timing brought the Kempsey celebrations in line with the format delivered by the Australia Day Council in Canberra, announcing the national award winners on the eve of Australia Day.
“Council also holds around three citizenship ceremonies throughout the year,” Mr Milburn said.
“Kempsey Council has made no move to change Australia Day celebrations from January 26. If anything, we have increased the celebrations by adding the option of a second citizenship ceremony on Australia Day.”
Over the last two years council have also sought to include and invite the Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year in community activities.
The 2019 Australia Day Awards Ceremony will be held at the Slim Dusty Centre on January 25.
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