Persistence Pays Off: Australia Day Ceremonies Return to 26 January - Update from John and Edna Tate

After more than two years of persistence, Adelaide Hills Council has moved to reinstate Australia Day ceremonies on 26 January. https://www.ahc.sa.gov.au/assets/down... In this discussion, I catch up with John Tate to reflect on a campaign that began when John and his wife Edna discovered that Adelaide Hills Council had resolved not to conduct citizenship ceremonies, confer civic awards or support events on Australia Day itself. What followed was not a single complaint or one appearance before Council. John and Edna wrote letters, attended meetings, made deputations, spoke directly with councillors, helped organise petitions and joined with other Adelaide Hills residents who believed such a significant civic decision deserved proper community scrutiny. More than 1,000 signatures were gathered in one petition alone, further petitions followed, community groups continued holding Australia Day events on 26 January, and the issue gradually attracted wider public and media attention. Importantly, John’s position also developed into something more constructive than simply demanding that everyone celebrate Australia Day in the same way. In April 2025, he presented Council with a proposed path toward reconciliation: retain citizenship ceremonies, civic awards and Australia Day celebrations on 26 January for those who wished to participate, while also allowing alternative dates for people who preferred them. His argument was essentially that accommodation should work both ways. John told Council: “The only way we’re going to fix this is talk about it.” Throughout the campaign, John and Edna made clear that they regarded this as being about something larger than a date on the calendar: whether ordinary citizens are prepared to engage with government, peacefully challenge decisions they believe are wrong, and continue doing so even when their concerns are repeatedly rejected. John once described the campaign by saying: “We ain't getting out of the ring until we win.” Now, after years of letters, petitions, meetings, community action and persistence, there is a significant new chapter to that story. This discussion looks back at how it began, the people who joined the campaign, the setbacks along the way, and what the Adelaide Hills Council’s latest decision means. Whatever your own position on Australia Day, there is also a broader democratic question worth considering: What happens when ordinary citizens refuse to believe that a decision made by government must therefore be the end of the discussion? Previous coverage: Moving Australia Day Ceremonies Did Not Sit Well With This Adelaide Hills Ratepayer: https://markneugebauer.substack.com/p... Adelaide Hills Council: Australia Day 2025! What's happening around town? https://rumble.com/v674r57-adelaide-h... Adelaide Hills Council Australia Day Citizenship Ceremonies update from John Tate. https://rumble.com/v6t0wb7-adelaide-h... Please keep discussion respectful. Australians can disagree strongly about our history, national identity and 26 January without treating one another as enemies. #AustraliaDay #AdelaideHills #SouthAustralia #LocalGovernment #Democracy #Community #Australia #JohnTate Enjoying the content? Consider buying a Coffee - https://buymeacoffee.com/markneugebauer Or via your banks PayId to: info@fcpaustralia.com