Liberal Officials to Make Australian City 'Less Christmassy' for Non-Christians
Citizens outraged as City of Perth council vows to make Christmas 'more inclusive'
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Citizens in Perth are outraged after the Australian city's liberal officials announced plans to make Christmas "less Christmassy" this year to make the season "more inclusive" for non-Christians.
The proposal to water down Christmas festivities in Australia's fourth-most populous city has been met with strong backlash.
The scheme is revealed in The City of Perth's Cultural Development Plan.
City officials promise this year's Christmas season will be "representative and inclusive of the city's multicultural community."
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Residents have taken to social media to express their outrage over the idea, with many claiming the council is going too far.
"This is just madness in my opinion," one man wrote.
"I'd love a Christmas as Christmassy as it can get."
"PC gone mad," wrote another.
"Absolutely what a great idea the world needs less joy throughout the year we have too much good news, community spirit love and happiness," another sarcastically wrote.
However, one man thought it was a good idea.
"It'll still be festive guys, just more broad and inclusive," the man wrote.
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Chief Commissioner Andrew Hammond said the council's current holiday-season celebrations did not acknowledge or create a sense of belonging for non-Christians.
"We're not about to change Christmas celebrations," he told 9news.
"We're just taking a common-sense approach that about 50 percent of people are Christians and about 50 percent are not."
"While Christianity is an important part of Perth's cultural identity (46 percent of Greater Perth demographic), the City of Perth's current holiday-season celebrations, which include a nativity scene at Council House, do not fully acknowledge or create a sense of belonging for the remaining 54 per cent, including 32 per cent who have no religion at all," the plan states.
The council has consulted a number of community groups about its plan, it said.
