Dubbo Regional Council deputy mayor Richard Ivey would like to see the councillors put out a public statement on what Australia Day means to them.
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Foreshadowing a motion at the latest council meeting on July 28, councillor Ivey said he would like council to explore what it believes Australia Day actually means and what it stands for.
"I think perhaps it is worthwhile council makes a public statement to that effect when we work out what it means and what we are trying to make it represent," he said.
"I think it is important council makes a public statement."
Cr Ivey explained that while Australia Day was traditionally known as a celebration of European settlement, he thought that idea was "ridiculous".
"It is not a celebration of that at all, or it shouldn't be, it should be more of a recognition day," he said.
"It's a recognition of the fact our first nations people were here, that they are a culture, and that their descendants are still representatives of that culture."
Cr Ivey said he would like the community to recognise that they could combine Sorry Day with Australia Day to make it a celebration of Australia.
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"We can show what it represents and it certainly doesn't represent what we thought 20 years ago it represented," he said.
"I think we've moved on a lot and I think it's a role that this council could take the lead in for our local community."
Cr Ivey said he would like to make a public statement to that effect and then work towards making it happen.
Councillor and Indigenous woman Pam Wells thanked the deputy mayor for his comments and pointed out that another council had recently put a motion forward to change the date.
"It is interesting to see this conversation emerging and some really good reflections on what Australia Day means for the wider community," she said.
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