Hotel Chain Reverses Decision to Cancel ‘Australia Day’ at 200 Venues
Australian Venue Co changed its stance just hours after the news of their decision was made public.
A chain of pubs and hotels swiftly reversed its decision just hours after stating that Australia Day parties would be banned at its 200 venues nationwide.
Australian Venue Co cited the alleged “sadness” and “hurt” caused by the national celebration as reasons for not allowing the festivities.
Australia Day is an annual public holiday on Jan. 26 that marks the arrival of the First Fleet from Great Britain in 1788, signaling the start of European colonization of the continent.
While some view the day as a significant national celebration of Australia’s values, there have been calls for changing the date due to concerns that it might be offensive to Indigenous people—some protest groups refer to it as “Invasion Day.”
After facing backlash from the community following their initial decision on Dec. 2, Australian Venue Co issued a statement to reverse their stance.
“We can see that our comments over the weekend have caused both concern and confusion,” the statement read.
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“We sincerely regret that—our purpose is to reinforce community in our venues, not divide it.”
Australian Venue Co clarified that they did not mean to offend Australians.
“It is not for us to tell anyone whether or how to celebrate Australia Day,” the statement said.
“We acknowledge that and we apologize for our comments.
“It certainly wasn’t our intention to offend anyone.”
The company recognized that they serve a diverse range of communities.
“We employ 9,600 people across the country. And we welcome 15 million patrons each year to our venues,” the statement said.
“Across our community of team members and patrons, many different views are held and we acknowledge that.”
The group announced that they would allow Australia Day parties at their venues.
“Whether you choose to celebrate Australia Day or not, everyone is welcome in our pubs, always,” the statement said.
“We have been, and are always, open over Australia Day and we continue to book events for patrons.”
Push for Date Change
A survey by the University of South Australia involving 559 Australians conducted in May showed that 67 percent of participants were indifferent to the date of Australia Day, indicating that young Australians have a different perspective on Australian history.
However, a 2019 poll by the Australian National University revealed that 70 percent of people supported keeping the current date, while a 2022 Institute of Public Affairs survey showed 65 percent in favor.
IPA researcher Brianna McKee attributed the reluctance to uphold tradition to the education system.
“One need only look around to see the fallacy of such a message; we live in a society that upholds freedom and fairness, and one in which all of the cultures from which we stem are celebrated—not least the Indigenous.”
