GRANT District Council has voted to keep its Australia Day event and ceremonies as invitation-only.
The council initially switched from a public to a private event in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which remained in place for the 2022 celebrations.
At a council meeting earlier this month, council staff recommended the event continue to be invitation-only due to the risks of the pandemic creating unpredictable circumstances.
“Due to the logistics of arranging volunteers, decorations and equipment, the community group scheduled to host the Australia Day event usually commences planning for the event around August/September of the preceding year,” the report on the motion said.
“However, like this time last year, it is unknown what type of Covid-19 considerations may be likely to impact the logistics and format of the event in January 2023.”
Council staff also recommended the Yahl Hall Committee be contacted to assist with the logistics of the ceremonies, as it would have been their turn to host a public event.
During the discussion of the motion, Councillor Kylie Boston who is involved with the Yahl Committee, said the consensus amongst the committee was a preference for an invitation-only event.
Deputy Mayor Gill Clayfield expressed her support for a smaller event as she believed it put more focus on the achievements of the Australia Day nominees.
Mayor Richard Sage said during the discussion that he would prefer an open event as it could incorporate more of the community, as Australia Day was for everyone. He referenced that other large events such as sports and concerts now allowed big crowds.
There was discussion amongst councillors if the event capacity could be increased from previous years.
Council chief executive Daryl Whicker said at the meeting that final invitation numbers would be decided closer to the date, but employees would endeavour to increase the capacity of the event if there were no further impacts from the pandemic.
Councillors voted to keep the event as an invitation-only but added an amendment that it would be live streamed to the community for those who are not able to attend in person.
