The first is the type that Malcolm Turnbull gave in parliament. The fight for rights is not over. Thats a full 64 years before the day became an official holiday. So if a lot of us dont even know what the day is for, whats the harm in picking a date thats less distressing? We need to abolish Australia Day and change the discourse it shouldnt be a day of celebration but a day of remembrance.. Around two thirds of Australian women are now in favour of a rethink on holding Australia Day on January 26, compared with51 per centof men. We believe 26 January should be a day of learning, respect and reconciliation. Even though many Australians are apathetic about the date that Australia Day should be held (56% polled saidthey didnt care about it), other Australians, including Aboriginals want the date changed. This happened back in 1788, and it marks the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia. The answer will tell us all we need to know about how great a country Australia is. While 49 per cent believed the date was likely to move within the next decade. de 2014 . By moving Australia Day to another date, what are we losing? Now, she said, Australians from all walks of life are more invested in learning more "about our shared history [and] understanding Indigenous perspectives". Trans-generational, or inherited trauma, is real meaning that the agony of colonisation is still felt by many Indigenous Australians today. 3. func(); As one Aboriginal person said, You dont visit someones house, rape, and pillage them, and then tell them you are going to celebrate that day as their birthday.. A large proportion of the population 45 per cent disagree or feel neutral about the push to move Australia Day and Ms Reys said it was important to make room "for different views". In recent years, Australia Day protests have swelled and tens of thousands of people Indigenous and non-Indigenous march together all across the country. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and future returns are not guaranteed. You could say that this was the day we finally came together as Aussies. There are now signs the Ukrainians could actually beat the huge Russian army. There are flag raising ceremonies all around the country and it is a day when many migrants (people from other countries who want to live in Australia) become Australian citizens at citizenship ceremonies. The Indigenous communities declared it a Day of Mourning that remains recognised to this day. But we are ready to rectify this. No wonder so many people believe that the date should be changed to any other day in the year! While its undoubtedly an uphill battle to get governments to listen, its not impossible, which is why pressure needs to be continually applied for them to listen. By the 1900s, the indigenous population was reduced by 90%, through a systematic method of displacement, and indoctrination of the tribes into the British culture. Why some are celebrating Australia Day. Due to systemic racism, power and privilege, and social determinants, these introduced systems of justice, education and health still have entrenched access and equity barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Already others have suggested alternative dates such as ANZAC Day on April 25th. Read the kidcyber page about the First Fleet. Itll help, promise. This week, we encourage you to spend the time you would normally spend listening to our podcast educa A lot has happened in the last few years which has forced us to reflect on our values and the racial inequality of the world we still live in. That's 5% down from last year and an 11% drop from 2019. On 26 January 1938, on the 150thanniversary of the British invasion of this continent, a group of Aboriginal people in NSW wrote a letter of protest, calling it a Day of Mourning. f.parentNode.insertBefore( j, f ); It was inconsiderate to have changed the date in 1994 to the 26th January. If this article brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or you have experienced targeted violence, please contact Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), both of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. // console.log('force ' + all_links.href); Lets focus on the ways we can dismantle the more urgent challenges, rather than focusing on the date of this one day. I would also like to see January 26 marked as a far more sombre occasion. Turvey was walking home from school with his mates when he was allegedly called racial slurs and hit with a metal pole. It's become one of the nation's most divisive days, and now it appears Australians are rapidly changing their minds over whether the 26th of January is the most appropriate date to celebrate our nation. There are many things we want to celebrate about Australia, but 26 January doesn't represent an inclusive day for everyone. Formidable employer power, Jacky and his boyfriend were 'flatmates' for years until his mother found out about the truth, 'Momentous occasion': Spears taken by Captain Cook in 1770 to be returned home, This youth worker can't talk about youth crime without mentioning the kids sleeping in nearby public toilet blocks, Prince Harry and Meghan told to vacate UK home, 'The biggest mistake of our lives': US fertility clinic sued for using embryo with deadly cancer gene, Pedestrian killed after being struck by car on major Darwin road, 'I pretty much cried all day': Devil in one of the last 'disease-free' populations found with facial tumour. He is the founder and CEO of IndigenousX. Additionally, former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, wasnt interested in changing the date either, saying, Australia Day is 26 January. "We need to abolish Australia Day and change the discourse - it shouldn't be a day of celebration but a day of remembrance." The second argument is to change the date of the Australia Day celebration, moving any sort of revelry away from a day that is devastating for Indigenous people. } True. } The 26th of January is a day that will always live in infamy. We know this isnt a solution, but we take it as a sign of solidarity with the First Peoples. View policy.We respect your privacy; unsubscribe at any time. display: none !important; s = d.createElement('script'); The date change is like the key to your house, you need it to open the front door, Sarra wrote. The only way to aspire towards a day where we can come together as a nation is to change the date. I choose not to repeat myself, because the date will change. May 9, the day of the first sitting of Federal Parliament in 1901 and the day that Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. Its time to air our dirty laundry and heal the wounds side by side, and make a better future for all Australians. j.async = true; For white Australians, changing the date will simply mean coming together on a different day and the public holiday would still take place. Join us! It also marks the start of Reconciliation Week. Just Another Australia Day Post Hoping To Make You Feel All The Feels. Isnt that the epitome of cruelty? Considering that the Aboriginal people and their culture is an inherent part of Australia and its history, labeling a day they deem as derogatory and unworthy to be called Australia Day, should be taken into account. Should we change Australia Day? "It's a remembrance day for us, so we try to remember that by doing our culture, preserving our culture so people can actually see what was here on January 26, 1788," he said. Crescent Wealth acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. display: none; This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Found a perfect sample but need a unique one? There are enough still standing to lead this change so all Australians can finally access the freedoms, equality and justice that Australia so proudly espouses. Change the Date and we will dismantle the systems and structures that oppress us.. { Your support will ensure IndigenousX is able to stay independent and keep making original content. It should not be relied upon for tax, legal or accounting advice. It is not that a date that will ever be forgotten. The second argument is to change the date of the Australia Day celebration, moving any sort of revelry away from a day that is devastating for Indigenous people. Crazily enough, it wasnt until 2008 that the then prime minister Kevin Rudd formally apologized to the Aboriginals for the atrocities committed against them, like forced child removals and cultural destruction through assimilation. The first act that was passed after Federation was the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, commonly referred to as the White Australia Policy. j.src = (function() { } Other "Australia days" were held on. s.async = true; The Australia Talks National Survey asked 60,000 Australians about their lives and what keeps them up at night. Keeping politics out of Australia Day By comparison, Indigenous Australians have been protesting on the date since 1938 well before it was made a national holiday! Things like festival pill-testing, renewable vs. fossil fuel-generated energy, whether free speech is dead and, yes, a whole chapter on Survival/Australia Day. . In fact, the real date is actually somewhere a week or so before January 26th. However, in recent years the Hottest 100 has become a symbol in the debate about Australia Day. It seems ridiculous to consider that any nation should be celebrating the massacre of hundreds of thousands of people who were in Australia first. Australian Ethical acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the country on which we work, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and recognise and celebrate their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. The national online poll canvassed the views of 1222 Australians between January 19 and January 22 on their views on changing the Australia Day date, its importance to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians and to what extent they think Indigenous Australians face racism in Australia today. You could also lobby your local council to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on January 26. Here we are again: New Year, new January, same Australia debating whether or not to change the date of the national holiday. After watching that video, we must make a change. Watch: What January 26 means to different Australians. In fact, it was only 25 years ago that it . s.type = 'text/javascript'; It is insensitive and exclusive, it is no longer taken seriously, and the 26th doesn't mean as much as we think. Why should Australia Day be changed? But why not some other day how about the day that Australia garnered independence from the British empire, i.e., 9th October? '&l=' + l : ''; People are catching up and contributing their voices to the call to change the nation, but this is not a new discussion. w[ l ].push( { Not only is the date inaccurate about the First Fleet landing, but more than that, why is Australia as a nation that considers itself a humanitarian one, celebrating the day when the annihilation of the 500 indigenous groups began? Maybe then we might see people who arent fascists and racists declaring themselves patriots. Changing the date is saying, we trust you to determine your own lives, we value your knowledge, and most importantly, its saying we dont want you to hurt anymore at the hands of our celebration. The Australia Talks National Survey 2021 has revealed a majority of people now believe Australia Day should not be celebrated on January 26, given the historical significance of the date for Indigenous nations. } ); Therefore, Australia Day should be changed to a more appropriate date that truly represents Australians at our finest. "Australia Day is a day to celebrate Indigenous, British and multicultural history and look forward in unity with a determination to build a stronger and more rewarding Australia for all.". // forced if the address starts with http (or also https), but does not link to the current domain On this Invasion Day, I am angry. } In fact, its a day when many immigrants become Australian citizens, which is a day of great joy for them to be finally included as an official member of a family and country they love so much. In 2017, the Australia Institute found a whopping 62% of people did not know what the day marked. I should know, because thats the entire premise of the book I spent the past year writing: breaking down the arguments and counter-arguments of important social issues to help young people speak up about the stuff they really care about. Did you find this helpful? w[ l ] = w[ l ] || []; Earlier this year the Prime Minister said it was important to mark the day as one on which "the journey to modern Australia began". If you are interested in our services or have any specific questions, please send us an enquiry. dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); Today many Australians celebrate Christmas for other reasons: family; end of another hard year; food and drink; and summer holidays. The fact that it isnt is an interesting glimpse into the chasm of systemic racism. According to the ABCs Australia Talks National Survey 2021, a whack of people now believe Australia Day should not be celebrated on January 26, given the historical significance of the date for First Nations peoples. Six years later, triple js Hottest 100 is just as popular, despite not occurring on January 26 and theres barely been any discussion about the date change since. } Australia Day is our national day. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. When is Australia Day? And yes, the survey was multiple choice. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. But that's actually a false assumption. It is a time when we are seeing rights and freedoms for all except the wealthiest Australians (and foreign companies) removed. Fifield also wrote to the Chair of the ABC urging the station to reconsider. Its worth noting that it was on the third ever national Australia Day that a notable Indigenous protest was created. Info here. The interesting thing is that out of the 364 other days that could be potentially celebrated as Australia Day, why this day was particularly chosen is mystifying? Heres a list to get you started: 1. ': Remote NT mayor questions response time for flood evacuations, Labor set a superannuation trap and Dutton immediatelytook the bait, Here's what the super tax changes will mean for you, British police find remains of baby during search for missing infant, Station master arrested, transport minister resigns after fatal train crash where fiery carriages reached 1,300C, Ukraine retreat from Bakhmut could leave the rest of Donetsk open to Russia, Australia Day protests have swelled and tens of thousands of people, The survey was conducted by Vox Pop Labs for the ABC and is one of the largest conducted in the country, one of the Australia Talks survey questions on which men and women were most divided, Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander), In a landmark legal outcome, this unusual and very beautiful evidence was crucial, 'A disservice to the game of cricket': Pitch for third Australia-India Test bagged after 14 wickets on day one, One reason Australian wages are depressed? 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