Australia Day - Change the date, or keep it the same?

[timtam20292]

Absolutely agreed with what Rev has said.

[Llessur2002]

I imagine that the most simple and politically palatable solution to this is to wait for the inevitable republic and shift the national day accordingly.

[shiftaling]

January 1st makes most sense to me. It's the most unifying date representing Australian nationhood. Jan 26 1788 is really just the establishment of a foreign country's prison camp and symbolises our subservience to England. This comes from a place of pride despite what has been posted above. I don't see celebration of Jan 26 or allegiance to a flag with the Union Jack as patriotic, unless you mean patriotism to a foreign mother country - commonly regarded as an antiquated view these days.

[Llessur2002]

But Jan 1st is already a very popular public holiday - I don't think public opinion would be behind replacing New Years Day with Australia Day. Many people spend NYD feeling rubbish with a hangover (or at the very least tired from staying up later than they normally would have done) and therefore would be reluctant to fully celebrate Australia Day the way they do at the moment. If it was shifted in lieu to Jan 2nd then the holiday wouldn't fall on the anniversary so would be largely meaningless. As much as I agree that the date the constitution came into effect would theoretically be an ideal day to celebrate the nation, the fact that it falls on 1st Jan would make this impossible to achieve without vastly changing the way that the current day is celebrated.

Better to either trawl the history books for another important date in the settlement of Australia (of which there are many), run a campaign to sell it to the masses and swing public opinion towards changing the date, possibly even involving a referendum/plebicite OR skip all that hassle, wait until the formation of a republic and shift the date accordingly. Seeing as the majority of the population will have voted in favour of a republic, it would seem likely that the same majority would be happy to see a public holiday created to celebrate their decision.

Would definitely seal the deal if a second public holiday was thrown in e.g. new Republic/Australia day and a random public holiday crated in late Jan or whenever really. Could even be used as a sweetener to secure the yes vote i.e. vote for a republic and get an extra day off work.

[[Shuz]]

Agreed. Republic Day should be the new Australia Day. But until that happens, leave it as it is.

[Ben]

This was the first year I've felt like i was an outcast for not only celebrating Australia day but also calling it by that name. As a kid it was always a day to be proud but looks like the political correctness gang claims another scalp. It's not what it used to be.

[Nathan]

This was the first year I've felt like i was an outcast for not only celebrating Australia day but also calling it by that name. As a kid it was always a day to be proud but looks like the political correctness gang claims another scalp. It's not what it used to be.

Please describe how you felt like an outcast.

[Ben]

Why do I feel an attack coming on?...

Well at the Australia Day celebration in the city the parade was forced to finish early due to the protesters standing in the way and scaring a lot of children who themselves had come from war torn countries and were in the parade to celebrate and give thanks to the country that has accepted and allowed them to live in a peaceful country....

Then there was Christine Anu who felt it was her place to spend 15 minutes going on about "Invasion Day" before the fireworks while families just wanted to go to the event to listen to music, have a good time and watch the fireworks. Why does this need to be rammed down our throats. If you disagree with something by all means there are places and mediums for it but when your scaring children and preaching to peaceful families in a park its all very sad really. I dare say there was not one event in Australia that was held by the Australia Day council that was not ruined in one way shape or form by people pushing their own agenda.

Meanwhile you have Aboriginals dying in custody and being killed by their husbands and family members yet there are no protests about that are there?

Then you have the social media aspect of if you mention Australia Day someone on the bandwagon will comment oh you mean invasion day. Well yes Australia has a chequered past - as does almost every country in the world. We can not change our history but we can celebrate the good of the country that has been built over the last 50,000 or so years. Australia has a lot to be proud of and a lot to learn from too but to be burning flags and protesting on the countries day of celebration is frankly disgusting. If the date is a problem then go about requesting a change in a mature fashion through the political system etc and see if there is a demand.

[[Shuz]]

What amazes me too are people and friends who I know that have suddenly jumped on the politically correct bandwagon about what a horrible day it is for them and their "ancestors" - despite only being 1/16 or 1/32nd Aboriginal, yet 1/2 British or Welsh or Irish or whatever, and only a mere 2 or 3 years ago they were proudly flying the flag, doing the whole backyard barbie, Triple J countdown, southern cross fake tattoos, the whole stereotypical Straya Day larrakinism. It's just selective cherry picking and clutching at straws to make themselves seem like they're "cool" and "progressive" and all that leftie shit. I'm sick of it. It's gone absolutely mental. We are only responsible for what we as a society or generation can to celebrate multicultural Australia as it is now, not continuously keep feeling guilty and apologizing and trying to rewrite or erase history for what happened 230 years ago. Kevin Rudd already said Sorry, the courts have upheld Mabo /Native Title claims for three decades now, Reconciliation Day has been set up and celebrated for 10 years or so. Is that not enough? It seems like if we changed the date, then what's next? Changing the anthem to something more Indigenous? Changing the flag to the Indigenous flag? It's pandering to one to the extreme. By all means change the flag and anthem and date that reflects the whole of multicultural Australia, but not to accommodate one section of Australia.

[Nathan]

The fact is, there is a significant part of the indigenous population (not all, obviously) that do feel marginalised by Australia Day. Why are they protesting now? Well because the other ways you've suggested people object are not getting through. They've be dismissed all along, and are still being dismissed (just look at some of the talk in this thread for a mild example). They're being told to get over it essentially. They're protesting because they want their voices heard.

If you think you feel like an outcast, have a thought about how much of an outcast they must feel in their own country.

[Ben]

The fact is, there is a significant part of the indigenous population (not all, obviously) that do feel marginalised by Australia Day. Why are they protesting now? Well because the other ways you've suggested people object are not getting through. They've be dismissed all along, and are still being dismissed (just look at some of the talk in this thread for a mild example). They're being told to get over it essentially. They're protesting because they want their voices heard.

If you think you feel like an outcast, have a thought about how much of an outcast they must feel in their own country.

Why is it any more their country then mine? I was born here, they were born here. Are we not even? We now have Mundine creating a fuss because he refuses to stand while the nation anthem is being sung - by Jessica Mauboy I might add. Forgive me for thinking some segments of the community just want to play the hard-done by, look at me card for publicity while others just get on with the job.

Maybe their voices are not being heard because it is only a small minority who agrees with them. Each year though they appear to be getting more vocal and in some cases violent. Unfortunately not everyone gets their way - that is a modern democracy.

[Nathan]

The fact is, there is a significant part of the indigenous population (not all, obviously) that do feel marginalised by Australia Day. Why are they protesting now? Well because the other ways you've suggested people object are not getting through. They've be dismissed all along, and are still being dismissed (just look at some of the talk in this thread for a mild example). They're being told to get over it essentially. They're protesting because they want their voices heard.

If you think you feel like an outcast, have a thought about how much of an outcast they must feel in their own country.

Why is it any more their country then mine? I was born here, they were born here. Are we not even? We now have Mundine creating a fuss because he refuses to stand while the nation anthem is being sung - by Jessica Mauboy I might add. Forgive me for thinking some segments of the community just want to play the hard-done by, look at me card for publicity while others just get on with the job.

Maybe their voices are not being heard because it is only a small minority who agrees with them. Each year though they appear to be getting more vocal and in some cases violent. Unfortunately not everyone gets their way - that is a modern democracy.

That's it. It is just as much their country as it is yours, and yet we celebrate our national day on the anniversary of when white settlers took over their land, and began centuries of treating them as second class. That's hardly being inclusive. You may feel differently, but I can't understand the lack of empathy that people have to not be able to acknowledge why some have issues with the day.

Maybe their voices are not being heard because it is only a small minority who agrees with them.

Example of being dismissive.

[rev]

The fact is, there is a significant part of the indigenous population (not all, obviously) that do feel marginalised by Australia Day. Why are they protesting now? Well because the other ways you've suggested people object are not getting through. They've be dismissed all along, and are still being dismissed (just look at some of the talk in this thread for a mild example). They're being told to get over it essentially. They're protesting because they want their voices heard.

If you think you feel like an outcast, have a thought about how much of an outcast they must feel in their own country.

Why is it any more their country then mine? I was born here, they were born here. Are we not even? We now have Mundine creating a fuss because he refuses to stand while the nation anthem is being sung - by Jessica Mauboy I might add. Forgive me for thinking some segments of the community just want to play the hard-done by, look at me card for publicity while others just get on with the job.

Maybe their voices are not being heard because it is only a small minority who agrees with them. Each year though they appear to be getting more vocal and in some cases violent. Unfortunately not everyone gets their way - that is a modern democracy.

That's it. It is just as much their country as it is yours, and yet we celebrate our national day on the anniversary of when white settlers took over their land, and began centuries of treating them as second class. That's hardly being inclusive. You may feel differently, but I can't understand the lack of empathy that people have to not be able to acknowledge why some have issues with the day.

Maybe their voices are not being heard because it is only a small minority who agrees with them.

Example of being dismissive.

If they feel so strongly about it not being a day of celebration, and this being a democratic country, then they should feel free to hold memorial and commemorative services for their ancestors. They wouldn't be the only ones to do something like that.
They should also feel free to establish their own day of celebration, that they feel is inclusive of everyone.

The majority are happy with January 26th as our national day at the moment.

[timtam20292]

Agreed with Ben and Rev especially Ben who has hit the nail on the head with this. And yet it is still hard for others to understand that.

[SRW]

I'm not having any trouble understanding the impulse to celebrate our country. That's good.

What I don't understand is the lack of understanding some here and IRL show as to why the date on which we're celebrating is painful to many of our fellow countrymen/women. That's not good.

Don't conflate the desire to change the date as one to stop celebrating Australia Day. It's simply a desire to have an Australia Day that is a day inclusive of all Australians. We lose nothing by moving the day but do stand to increase harmony. That's better!

I get that many Australians aren't invested in the debate and would like to just get on with the business of celebrating their country. I think they would happily continue to do so on whatever day they're given a public holiday.

But those who are engaging in the debate to resist a shift from specifically January 26 need to be clear of their reasoning of why Australia Day must be tethered to it.