Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described moving the date of Australia Day as 'indulgent self-loathing', after the Byron Shire Council became the latest council to change the date of its Australia Day events.
Last week, the northern New South Wales council announced it will move its Australia Day celebrations a day forward to January 25 next year, in order to acknowledge that January 26 marks "the day the cultural decimation and denigration of the First Australians began".
On Sunday Mr Morrison tweeted in response to an article in the Daily Telegraph, saying "indulgent self-loathing doesn't make Australia stronger".
"Being honest about our past does," he said.
He went on to say the modern Australian nation does began on January 26, 1788.
"That's the day to reflect on what we've accomplished, become, still to achieve," he said. "We can do this sensitively, respectfully, proudly together."
The Northern Star reported Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson put a motion forward proposing the 2019 Australia Day event be moved to the evening of January 25.
It follows other councils including Melbourne's Darebin and Yarra councils who've already voted to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on January 26.
