Inner West Greens councillor Tom Kiat will move a motion next week calling on the council to ditch its Australia Day event on January 26 and acknowledge the date marks the "beginning of the British invasion" for Aboriginal people.
He also wants the council to stop referring to the public holiday as Australia Day in its communications.
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"It's pretty clear coming from the indigenous community that January 26 is not an appropriate day to have an Australia Day event," he told AAP on Thursday.
"I think that's shared by probably a majority of people in the inner west who are not indigenous."
Cr Kiat will propose the council instead consider hosting or funding a commemoration of January 26, led by the indigenous community.
But it seems likely the motion won't pass.
Labor has five of 15 members on the council including Mayor Darcy Byrne and they're expected to vote 'no'.
There are also two Liberal councillors and three independents.
Mr Byrne will use his mayoral minutes to urge council to continue its festivities, but ensure it is a "day of reflection and commemoration" rather than celebration.
"I'm proposing we consult with the local Aboriginal community about how the nature of council's January 26 events can further evolve to recognise the history of indigenous Australia," he said in a statement to AAP.
Mr Byrne noted Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has already removed the power to conduct citizenship ceremonies from other councils that have cancelled their January 26 events.
"I'm not going to play into Peter Dutton's hands and have migrants in the inner west, the birthplace of Australian multiculturalism, being prevented from becoming Australian citizens in our community," the mayor said.
"Punishing migrants to make a political point would do no-one any good."
