It feels like this month has just flown by so quickly. In reflecting over the past few weeks, I thought I would share an excerpt from an update I shared at the Council Meeting that occurred on the 28th of January, in relation to Australia Day:
Another major event was the Lunar New Year Celebrations this past weekend, organised by Springvale Asian Business Association and strongly supported by Council. As always, it was a fantastic event that was heavily attended by the local community. Due to the timing, the Lunar New Year event was also held on Australia Day, where we also had our Australia Day Awards and citizenship ceremony.
Many might not actually know this, but it wasn’t actually until 1994 that Australia Day became a public holiday, making it a relatively recent addition to our calendar. I very much appreciate residents who want to celebrate this day, and I can understand why. This past Australia Day, my aunt was actually one of the 100 to receive her citizenship after decades in this country, after arriving as a refugee.
It was a huge moment of pride and joy for our family and I completely understand and know why this day resonates for so many of us, but I also want to say that it is not ‘woke’ to also acknowledge and reflect on our complex history and the impact colonisation had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
For many, Australia Day is a celebration of national pride, achievements, culture, and unity. However, it also marks the beginning of colonisation and its devastating effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Their sacrifices have shaped the Australia we know today and by acknowledging past injustices, we can work towards a more inclusive and respectful future for all Australians.
From 18/1/25 to 18/2/25, I attended the following:
- 4 x Councillor Briefing Sessions
- 2 x Council Meetings
- ICMG Diversity Festival
- Meeting with Executive Director Corporate Development, Andrew Foley
- Community Listening Post
- Lunar New Year Festival opening ceremony
- Australia Day Award & Citizenship ceremony
- Meeting with Community Arts, Culture & Libraries Team
- Empowering Women in Sport at Tatterson Park Pavilion
- 9 by 5 Exhibition opening
- Meeting with Verspertine Gardens’ organisers
- CEO Employment & Remuneration Committee meeting
Noting that for the CEO Employment & Remuneration Committee meeting, I was only able to partially attend due to the meeting start time occurring during my normal working hours.
Unfortunately, I was unwell last week and was, for the first time, unable to attend the public Council Meeting. In the interest of transparency, I am currently tabling my attendance percentage for both Councillor Briefing Sessions and Council meetings and will have this up live shortly and easily accessible. EDITED 19/02/2025 to add link to my Attendance page.
As with all my Councillor updates, if I am unable to attend a compulsory meeting or a meeting of which I am a Councillor representative for, I have and will continue to flag any non-attendance and reasons why in these regular blogs.
As always, if you have any questions or feedback about our community, please reach out to me – either by email at isabella.do@cgd.vic.gov.au or call/text me at 0427 161 104. I will aim to get back to you within 24 hours, however, please don’t hesitate to give me a nudge if it’s urgent or I haven’t gotten back to you within that timeframe.