Government’s citizenship ceremony dress code is absurd

Thursday, 23 January 2020

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne has condemned a letter of demand from the Department of Home Affairs requiring that Councils across Australia immediately create a new dress code for citizenship ceremonies.

Mayor Byrne said “At a time when our continent is engulfed in fires and whole communities lie in ruins it is beyond belief that a new fashion police dress code is the priority of the Australian Government.”

“I’ll be swearing in 100 new citizens on Sunday, they’ll be dressed beautifully, as always, and we won’t be enforcing this ridiculous and authoritarian fashion diktat.”

“At our ceremonies people wear everything from saris to dashikis. With all due respect to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet members they are not as stylish as many of our new citizens and we won’t be enforcing this absurd request.”

“The Department of Home Affairs should focus on getting resources and assistance into communities affected by the disaster not cooking up inane culture war stunts.”

For media enquiries, or a copy of the original letter from Immigration Minister David Coleman received in September 2019, contact Bill Hawker | Mayoral Media Officer P: +61 2 9392 5685 | E: bill.hawker@innerwest.nsw.gov.au