So, Australia Day. Here’s how I think the whole debate can be settled. We swap King’s Birthday and Australia Day.
King’s Birthday, which is universally acknowledged as no more than an excuse for a day off, falls very close to the anniversary of the date the Mabo decision was handed down. That would be a great date to celebrate the fact that our nation isn’t just a smidge over two centuries old, but many tens of thousands of years old. We still have major issues of reconciliation and treaty to deal with, but this could be a good step in that direction.
Now, we still need a holiday towards the end of January. How else will we know it’s time to go back to school, or which songs are considered hot? If we move the King’s Birthday to the last Friday in January (and remember, the King’s Birthday isn’t held on his birthday and the timing is essentially arbitrary) we still get a chance to celebrate whatever it is we celebrate then. We can still pop a side of lamb on the barbie, we can still watch the cricket… heck, we can still celebrate our love for our great nation by putting on a pair of flag budgie smugglers and running up Glenelg Jetty otherwise naked.
Thoughts?
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think we should keep Australia day while there’s still so much injustice for the first nations people.
We can have it back when we’ve actually built something worth celebrating.
But again, maybe that’s just me.
You’re right, all the vast improvements we have made as a nation, all the serviceman and woman who have died defending our country and intrests, all the people we have let into our country and provided better lives for.
None of this is worth stopping taking a day and celebrating, none of it is worthwhile.
A nation built on blood and genocide, wars fought with Aboriginal soldiers who came home to no thanks to be treated like dirt.
I won’t have pride in a country that won’t face its own racism, I won’t have pride in a country that won’t face it’s unjustifiable founding.
Always was, always will be aboriginal land.
Yeah my land, thank you but I’m also Australian so i will celebrate what i want.
I disagree. As much as this country has faults, show me a nation on this earth that doesn’t?
This country is unique and beautiful and should be celebrated. We have 364 other days of the year to focus on making it an even better country we should leave at least 1 day of the year to celebrate it’s positives.
I’m open to the date changing, but it should not be removed entirely.
Speak to any immigrant who worked so hard to stay in this country, why they like it more than there home country.
We have many things to be thankful for, let’s take a moment to put down the aggression and rally together as one nation, who did fight side by side, who do care for this country, who are more alike then many would notice.
I beleive having some solidarity would probably go a long way in helping to further relations, to help to work towards righting past and present wrongs. Even in WW2 they stopped fighting in places to share a Christmas meal together (I think it was Christmas)
To abolish it will do nothing more than drive this nation further apart, when we need to be trying as hard as we can to do the exact opposite.