The Western Advocate contacted each councillor after publishing an article on Saturday, where Greens councillor John Fry and a representative of the Aboriginal elders said they supported the Greens' national campaign to change the date. 

Mayor Graeme Hanger said he was “happy with Australia Day where it is”, while deputy mayor Bobby Bourke said it was time for Australians to move forward together and make January 26 a day of unity. 

"There shouldn't be any talk of changing the date," he said. 

"We live in a generation now where we didn't do anything to the Aboriginal people and we should be able to move on."

He said everyone should be able to celebrate Australia Day on January 26.

"It doesn't matter what political party wants to do it, there isn't any support for it," Cr Bourke said.

"It is just politicising the entire event and downgrading it for the rest of us Australians."

Cr Warren Aubin was resolute that he would not support changing the date, saying "over my dead body".

He said the day was a tradition and, similarly to Cr Bourke, felt it was meant to bring people together. 

"There will be no way if anything comes to council that I will vote to move Australia Day," he said.

"It is ridiculous." 

After the original story was published, Cr Alex Christian submitted a letter to the editor addressing the controversial topic.

In the letter, he said he was disappointed in Cr Fry for his stance on the issue and made it clear his fellow councillor would not have his support. 

"As long as I'm on council and a member of the Australia Day committee, Australia Day is staying where it is, in fact I want to make it bigger and better than ever in the next few years," he said.

"Australia is an amazing country and I'll be buggered if I sit by quietly while do-gooders attempt to snatch this culturally significant day away from us.

"We acknowledge National Sorry Day on the 26th of May and celebrate NAIDOC week in July, so what's the matter with acknowledging a significant date in our European history?"

The history associated with January 26 appears to be a major reason for councillors to reject the change the date campaign. 

“I’m not for changing the date – I’m totally against it,” Cr Jacqui Rudge said.

“I believe you can’t change history.”

Cr Ian North made a similar argument, saying “Different days mean different things to different people, but history is history”. 

Both he and Cr Rudge agreed that councils holding events on different days would do more to divide Australians than holding celebrations on January 26 does. 

“I think it would be quite divisive if local councils started having their own ceremonies on different days,” Cr Rudge said. 

“I think it is important that we all celebrate together.” 

Another argument councillors made for not changing the date was that they felt the issue should be dealt with federally, not at a local government level.

“The overriding side of it for me is that it is a national issue and it has to be decided by the Federal Government, and until they can come up with a better solution, we should keep the date,” Cr Jess Jennings said. 

He said that if anything came before council to change the date of Bathurst’s celebrations, he would reject it unless it had resulted from a federal decision. 

Cr Monica Morse was of a similar mindset.

While on a personal level, she would be happy to see national celebrations take place on the last Friday in January, so Australians could keep their long weekend, she doesn’t think it is something local government should decide on.

“I feel very strongly that it is not a local government issue,” she said. 

Cr North said councillors should not bring their party’s political agenda into the equation when making decisions for their own community.

“You shouldn’t be in local government if you’re going to push your party’s agenda,” he said.

“We’re not about politics in local government; we’re about working for our community.

“I want you to raise things because they are important to you as a resident in this region.” 

With Australia Day fast approaching, the debate over what date celebrations should be held on has been raging across the nation. 

Earlier this month, the national leader of the Greens, Richard Di Natale, said changing the date was one of his priorities for 2018. 

His team planned to contact more than 100 Greens councillors across the country to support the movement.

He said he wanted to see more local councils follow the lead of Yarra, Darebin and Fremantle, which have all attempted to move Australia Day celebrations from January 26.

Bathurst’s Cr Fry said late last week that he agreed with the campaign, saying January 26 could remain as First Fleet day, while Australia Day is moved to a less divisive date.

He had the support of the Wiradyuri elders, with Dinawan Dyirribang saying that Aboriginal people couldn’t celebrate January 26 given its history.