Veteran Liberal senator Eric Abetz has taken a shot at "tin-pot" mayors acting as if they were the prime minister of Australia.
Responding to a decision by Victoria's Yarra City Council to change the way it recognises Australia Day, Senator Abetz has challenged dissenting local government leaders to run for federal parliament.
The council voted unanimously on Tuesday to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day and do away with citizenship ceremonies on that date.
Councillors deemed the 26th inappropriate because it marked the beginning of British colonisation and the loss of culture, language and land for Australia's first peoples, Yarra Mayor Amanda Stone said in a statement.
Senator Abetz was not amused, arguing Australia Day celebrated the beginning of a modern Australia "right, wrong or indifferent".
"We sadly have, from time to time, tin-pot mayors around Australia thinking they are really the prime minister of this country," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
"I invite them to run for federal parliament and see how far they get with those sorts of issues up here."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the council's decision was a repudiation of the values Australia Day celebrated, citing "freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity".
"The council is using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians," he said.
Labor senator Doug Cameron recognised many people held the view January 26 was the wrong date for Australia Day.
"This is a legitimate debate," he said, adding democratically-elected local governments could do what they like.
"But what does this government do? It pulls out the heavies and threatens them."
Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson said he supported the principle of the decision which sent a very clear message.
"We support raising attention and trying to get Australians to understand how important this is to our first Australian peoples," he said.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts said Australia Day was a long established tradition.
"I think it's despicable," he said of the council's decision.
