Wednesday 25 May 2022 02:22 AM North Sydney Council scraps national anthem at citizenship ceremonies, sparking ... trends now

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A prominent council in a Sydney affluent area has sparked widespread outrage over accusations the mayor scrapped the national anthem at citizenship ceremonies.

Advance Australia Fair had been performed at North Sydney Council's weekly citizenship ceremonies for at least a decade until it was allegedly axed by independent mayor Zoe Baker when she was elected earlier this year.

Her predecessor Jilly Gibson moved a motion at Monday night's meeting for the national anthem to be 'promptly' reinstated at citizenship ceremonies in line with other Sydney councils, which was defeated 6-4.

The anthem is one of several national symbols that should be present at citizenship ceremonies, according to the federal government's guidelines for the event.

Cr Gibson doesn't know why the mayor scrapped the national anthem when she was elected in January.

Cr Baker is part of the Real Independents, which earlier this year called for Australia Day to be abolished and described the public holiday as a day of mourning.

'It's extreme cancel culture,' Cr Gibson told Daily Mail Australia.

'If you can't sing the national anthem when you've just become an Australian citizen, then when can you?'

'This is a day and big moment for new Australians and shouldn't be used as an opportunity for the mayor to push

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