Overview
Australian Venue Co — one of the country's largest hospitality groups which operates 94 venues in Queensland, 70 in Victoria, 26 in Western Australia, 18 in South Australia, 10 in New South Wales and 2 in the Northern Territory — announced on Monday, December 2, that it will no longer host Australia Day celebrations on January 26 at any of its more than 200 outposts.
January 26 is a contentious date for many. Commemorating the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the beginning of European settlement on the Australian continent, it is a day of enduring collective trauma for First Nations communities and their allies who know it as Invasion Day or Survival Day rather than its traditional name.
Morris House, Melbourne
In a statement supplied to The Herald Sun, an Australian Venue Co spokesperson said of the decision to bar events on January 26: "Australia Day is a day that causes sadness for some members of our community, so we have decided not to specifically celebrate a day that causes hurt for some of our patrons and our team,"
Since 1994, all Australian states and territories have enjoyed a public holiday on January 26, but calls to move the country's national day to another less controversial date have gained momentum in recent years. In 2017, radio station Triple J made the decision to move its annual Hottest 100 rankings to January 25 and earlier this year, major supermarket brands Woolworths and Aldi both pledged to no longer stock Australia Day merchandise in its stores.
Across Australia, January 26 has also created opportunities to show solidarity with First Nations communities. More than 80 councils around the country no longer hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26 and Invasion Day rallies attract thousands of peaceful protesters every year.
For a full list of the Australian Venue Co venues effected by the January 26 event ban, visit the Australian Venue Co website.