Victoria quietly axes Australia Day parade sparking both praise and 'disappointment'

The parade was described as a "slap in the face" to First Nations people who see 26 January as a day of mourning and survival.

Participants take part in the 2020 Australia Day parade celebrations in Melbourne. Source: AAP / James Ross

key points:

• A First Nations leader has praised the cancellation of Victoria's Australia Day parade.
• The Victorian government quietly axed the parade and fireworks without a formal announcement.
• Opposition leader John Pesutto said the cancellation was "deeply disappointing" and demanded an explanation.

Victoria's state government has quietly axed its annual Australia Day parade.

The decision was met with praise from a First Nations leader, while the state's Opposition leader labelled the move "deeply disappointing" and demanded an explanation.

"We recognise Australia Day represents a day of mourning and reflection for some Victorians and is a challenging time for First Peoples," a Victoria government spokesperson said in a statement.

Instead, Victorians will be able to partake in activities that exhibit "respectful reflection, togetherness and inclusion" on 26 January.

SBS News understands a government decision about how to mark future events on 26 January will be made in due course.

The state government will instead hold a host of activities for families at Government House and Federation Square.

There will still be a 21-gun salute at the Shrine of Remembrance and a flag-raising ceremony at Government House, along with an aerial show.

Co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria Marcus Stewart said the parade axing was a small, but positive step forward for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

There will not be an Australia Day parade in Melbourne this year. Source: Getty / Robert Cianflone

"The parade was a slap in the face and only rub salt in the wounds. It was a mark of the harm and the hurt that was caused through colonisation," he told SBS News.

The move comes after the City of Melbourne announced in September it would undergo a review on how 26 January should be commemorated.

Crowds at the parades in previous years have dwindled, according to figures from the council. In 2018, the city saw 72,000 people attend the celebrations. That number plummeted from 12,000 in 2019, to just 7,000 in 2020.

In contrast, 'Invasion Day' rallies have been gaining traction in recent years. Thousands of First Nations people and allies use the protests that will be held in Melbourne and around the country to commemorate 26 January as a day of mourning and survival.

"Now we can start a mature dialogue in this country around what a day looks like, that we can all celebrate a day that brings us together and doesn't push us apart," Mr Stewart said.

Victoria's Opposition leader John Pesutto demanded an explanation from the government about the scrapping of the parade.

"The cancellation of the Australia Day Parade is deeply disappointing," Mr Pesutto wrote on Facebook.

"This is a popular family event that both brought communities together and people into our CBD – it shouldn’t be tossed aside without any explanation."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in September that the federal government had no plans to change the date for Australia Day from 26 January as debate over Australia's national day continues.

"I'd say, let's focus on recognising the fact that our nation's birth certificate should proudly recognise that we didn't begin in 1788, which is what the 26th of January commemorates," Mr Albanese said at the time.

"We began at least 60,000 years ago with the oldest continuous civilisation on Earth and that should be a source of pride."