Australia Day is our National Day of Celebration, a day we can all be proud of and reflect on how fortunate we are to live in the best country in the world.
The thing I love about living in a free country is on Australia Day, we are free to celebrate however we wish, whether it’s attending formal events, enjoying a barbeque with mates, camping or exploring the outdoors with family and friends, or just taking some time out to reflect, we are all free to do Aussie Day our way.
This year, because the 26th of January fell on a Sunday, some were fortunate enough to score a long weekend with the public holiday falling on Monday. To ensure maximum public attendance and to allow families to enjoy the spoils of a weekend away, the Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Cassowary Coast Regional Council decided to hold their official ceremonies on the Friday evening. While this raised a few eyebrows, I think most people appreciated the chance to attend the ceremonies whilst having the Sunday to themselves to relax and celebrate.
I would like to congratulate all the Australia Day award winners and nominees from Hinchinbrook. Being nominated for one of these awards is a great honour, as it means that you have been recognised for your outstanding contribution to our community. In my role as the Member for Hinchinbrook, I witness daily the incredible efforts of everyday people doing extraordinary things to make Australia a better place for us all through community service and volunteering.
In addition to the formal award ceremonies, it was heartening to see celebrations taking place across our district. Although I couldn’t physically be at them all, it was great to know events were being held in Cardwell, Rollingstone, Toomulla, Forrest Beach, Ingham, Burdell and with many of our public pools and leisure centres hosting Aussie Day functions. This is a true testament to the Australian spirit. A big thank you to the local council staff, community groups and volunteers who worked hard to make this happen.
The resurgence of support for Australia Day gives me hope of a proud nation under one flag moving forward together.
Contributed with thanks to Nick Dametto MP Member for Hinchinbrook
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