Ballarat's key leader says changing Australia Day celebrations from January 26, a highly contested date among the region's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to another day, was "not the position of the government".
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"At the end of the day that's a matter for the Australian people," MP Catherine King said.
She said while it was "good" these "issues" were being debated and understood her top priority for the Ballarat's Indigenous community was to ensure a "First Nations voice to parliament".
"I'll be campaigning incredibly hard to make sure that the Ballarat community understands what that means to First Nations peoples," Ms King said.
"It's a huge opportunity for us to say thank you to them for the graciousness they show us every single day."
Ms King said she would be attending the the Koorie Engagement Action Group's and City of Ballarat's Survival Day Dawn Ceremony at 5.30am, now in its fourth year.
A First Nations voice to parliament would allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to provide advice to the government on policies and projects that impact their lives.
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
