A major Western Australian local government has voted to hold its annual Citizenship Ceremony and Community Citizen of the Year Awards on Invasion Day.

The City of Bayswater Council, in the north eastern suburbs of Boorloo/Perth, resolved by majority vote this week to revert to celebrating January 26.

Dr Jim Morrison from Yokai - the Western Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation - told National Indigenous Times the City is not honouring its commitments to reconciliation.

"I am concerned that the City of Bayswater has shown no respect for its own Reconciliation Action Plan or for the community," he said.

"The survey of interested folk to which they refer would not have included Indigenous people.

"The City's Reconciliation Action Plan committee will meet for the first time this year next week, so they have not consulted that committee."

National Indigenous Times asked the City of Bayswater why the decision was made, what consultation was carried out with Indigenous residents regarding the decision, and what consultation was carried out more broadly.

Rather than provide answers to those questions, a City spokesperson directed this publication to a statement on the City's website.

The statement noted that the decision to change the day the City hosts the ceremony resulted from a Notice of Motion raised by Councillor Michelle Sutherland, a former Liberal Party state election candidate and State Senior Vice-President.

"It follows an earlier Council decision in March 2024 to host the ceremony, awards and associated community event within the three days following 26 January," the City's statement said.

"At a local level, Councils are responsible for holding regular ceremonies to enable community members to officially become new citizens.

"In a 2023 survey, residents were split on when the Citizenship Ceremony and Community Citizen of the Year Awards should be held. Many of those in favour of keeping the ceremony on 26 January cited it as their preference due to its national significance."

January 26 marks the anniversary of the beginning in earnest of the invasion and colonisation of Australia. Since 1938 it has been recognised as a Day of Mourning by Indigenous communities. It was adopted as a national holiday by the federal government in 1994.