Labor MP says 'controversial' Australia Day is undergoing a 'transition'
MP Daniel Mulino has labelled Australia Day 'controversial' despite the majority of Australians supporting the public holiday.
🚨 AUSTRALIA DAY UNDER ATTACK AGAIN
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) December 5, 2024
I don't know who needs to hear this but there is NOTHING 'controversial' about celebrating the best country in the world 🇦🇺🇦🇺
Sign the petition: https://t.co/Z9pDYWmGc9 pic.twitter.com/SHTQJVfWgK
Labor MP Daniel Mulino has described Australia Day as “somewhat controversial” and undergoing a “transition” following a backlash over a hospitality group’s short-lived ban on celebrating the public holiday.
Australian Venue Co, a Chinese-owned company overseeing more than 200 venues, sparked public furore after instructing managers to forgo any recognition or festivities for January 26.
The Hong Kong-based group quickly backpedalled on its decision, offering a half-hearted apology after widespread criticism.
Speaking on Sky News, Mulino confidently claimed that perceptions of Australia Day have shifted, claiming that even 15 years ago, the holiday began to take on "new meanings."
“I remember back then Australia Day took on much more of a theme of celebrating volunteerism as a way of bringing the community together,” Mulino said. “Since that time, Australia Day has evolved further, and it is fair to say that it has become somewhat controversial in parts of our community.
“I think we're in an interesting transition at the moment with Australia Day.”
Mulino said the recent pub controversy underscored how the holiday elicits “very different feelings” across his electorate.
“As a country, we are going through a process where different parts of our community want to treat Australia Day differently. I don’t know what the end point is going to be,” he said, adding, “What I’d say is there’s no single rule here.”
Mulino criticised the hospitality group’s initial stance as “ham-fisted,” suggesting it failed to consider its customer base.
“I think the rule here is that people don’t want to be lectured when they’re going to the pub or going out,” he said. “But I do think there’s going to be a range of different things people want across the community.”
Nationals MP Keith Pitt responded by urging the government to seek a mandate if it planned to “transition” the holiday.
“The overwhelming majority of Australians want Australia Day where it is,” Pitt said. “They’re proud of our country, they’re proud of our flag. How about we just get on with it and celebrate our nation?”
THE AUSTRALIA DAY BLACKLIST: Venues operated by Australian Venue Co
VIC: |
Anglers Tavern, Apollo Bay Hotel, Auburn Hotel, Ball Court Hotel, Beer DeLuxe Fed Square, Birallee Tavern, BrewDog Pentridge, College Lawn Hotel, Criterion Hotel, Eureka Hotel, Fairfield Park Boathouse, Fargo and Co, Flinders Hotel, Garden State Hotel, Golden Gate Hotel, Harlow, Holliava, Hopscotch, Hotham Hotel, Imperial Hotel Bourke St, Imperial South Yarra, Melbourne Public, Middle Park Hotel, Morris House, Perseverance, Prahran Hotel, Prince Alfred Hotel, Prince of Wales Hotel, Public House, Richmond Club Hotel, River’s Edge Events, Skinny Dog Hotel, State of Grace, Studley Park Boathouse, Swan Hotel, Terminus Hotel Abbotsford, The Bridge Hotel, The Crafty Squire, The Duke of Wellington, The Esplanade Hotel, The Exchange Hotel, The Gardiner Hotel, The Hawthorn Hotel, The Local, The Park, The Posty, The Provincial, The Smith, The Station Hotel, The Terminus Yarrawonga, The Victoria Hotel, The Wharf Hotel, Trinket, Village Belle Hotel, West Beach Pavilion, Yarra Botanica, Yarra Valley Grand Hotel. |
QLD: |
Airlie Beach Hotel, Barron River Hotel, Beenleigh Tavern, Berserker Tavern, Birkdale Gardens Tavern, Bonny View Hotel, Boomerang Hotel, Bribie Island Hotel, Brighton Hotel, Browns Plains Hotel, Burleigh Town Hotel, Cannon Hill Tavern, Capella Hotel, Carindale Hotel, Chancellors Tavern, Cleveland Sands Hotel, Cleveland Tavern, Club Hotel Waterford, Commercial Hotel, Commonwealth Hotel, Coomera Lodge Hotel, Crown Hotel, Currimundi Hotel, Diamonds Kallangur, Diamonds Tavern Varsity Lakes, Dunwoody’s Hotel, Empire Alternacade & Events, Enigma, Everton Park Hotel, Ferry Road Tavern, Finn McCool’s Brisbane, Finnigan’s Chin Keperra, Fitzy’s Loganholme, Fitzy’s Waterford, Friday’s, Grafton Hotel Edmonton, Grand Hotel Motel, Hey Chica, Hope Island Tavern, Hotel Allen, Hotel HQ Underwood, Inala Hotel, Jindalee Hotel, Jubilee Tavern, Kings Beach Tavern, Koala Tavern, Kooyong Hotel, Lefty’s Music Hall, Leichhardt Hotel, Lulu Rooftop Bar, Mango Hill Tavern, Mansfield Tavern Brisbane, Mihi Tavern, Morayfield Tavern, Mount Sheridan Tavern, Newnham Hotel, Old Bundy Tavern, Palm Cove Tavern, Port Office Hotel, Portadown Hotel, Redcliffe Tavern, Reef Gateway Hotel, Regatta Hotel, Retro’s Brisbane, Riverland Brisbane, Royal Hotel Nundah, Royal Mail Hotel, Runaway Bay Tavern, Salisbury Hotel, Sands Tavern, Springlake Hotel, Sundowner Hotel Motel, Surfair Beach Hotel, Taigum Tavern, The Anthill, The Boundary Hotel, The Club Hotel Gladstone, The Commonwealth Hotel Roma, The Kenmore, The Local Tavern, The Lord Alfred Hotel, The Mansfield Townsville, The Metropolitan Hotel, The Ox, The Strand Hotel, The White Bull Tavern, The Wickham, Tom’s Tavern, Trinity Beach Tavern, Wallaby Hotel, Waterloo Hotel, Woodpecker Bar & Grill. |
NSW: |
Albion Hotel, Beer Deluxe Albury, Beer Deluxe T2, BrewDog South Eveleigh, Bungalow8, Cargo, Henley’s Kitchen & Bar, Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, Little Pearl Bar, North Byron Hotel, Salt Bar, The Bended Elbow, The Rook, The Winery, Untied. |
SA: |
Avenues Café & Bar, Brighton Metro Hotel, Hampstead Hotel, Mick O’Shea’s Hotel, Naracoorte Hotel, Parkside Hotel, Payneham Tavern, Robe Hotel, The Colonist, The Duck, The Grand Junction Tavern, The Hope Inn, The Mile End Hotel, The Unley, The West End Tavern, Victoria Hotel, Waterloo Station Hotel, Western Tavern |
