26 January is an important day in our history, but it is not a day for celebrations. 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. So, how do we go about actually making this change? 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. It also marks the start of Reconciliation Week. This happened back in 1788, and it marks the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia. } The fight for rights is not over. However, celebrating these things on the 26th of January can divide us as Australians by marginalising and offending many Indigenous people who see this date as commencing a chain of events that had disastrous consequences for many Indigenous people.. Solution: The email address associated with your Amazon account should have a strong, unique password. 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. external_links_in_new_windows_load(external_links_in_new_windows_loop); It was only in 1994, 26 years ago, that it officially became a public holiday. Heres a list to get you started: 1. Several local councils around the country have stopped celebrating Australia Day on January 26 against the wishes of the Federal Government. This is especially so if you want to be a nation known for its inclusivity and multiculturalism. After all, doesnt the national anthem say: Australians all let us rejoice? A McNair poll showed just 15 per cent of Australians want the date changed. Well, most people assume that the reason this day was chosen because that's when the First Fleet landed in Australia. Were joiningChange It Ourselves, celebrating Australia Day on a different date. He is the founder and CEO of IndigenousX. The most media attention that these protests ever gained was in 1988, the infamous Bicentennial, where the phrase White Australia has a Black History entered our collective consciousness, but they have always been there in one form or another, whether they are noticed by media or not. We believe we can meet the needs of patients who are already taking or about to start the 1.7 or 2.4 mg dose strengths and remain confident in our ability to supply them, unless there are significant, unforeseen . The survey was conducted by Vox Pop Labs for the ABC and is one of the largest conducted in the country. He later died in hospital. Back in 2019, 28% of respondents were strongly in favour of seeing a shift from the date. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' Australia has a long way to go. Seeing how this negatively affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be enough for white Australians to understand the importance of changing the date. In 1938, 100 Aboriginal people from across the country chose thatdate to meet to condemn "the degrading and humiliating" treatment of Indigenous communities. We want to use this platform to provide some information on why we believe that Australia Day should not be celebrated on January 26, if at all. And thats one of many reasons why Australia Dayshould be changedfrom January 26th to some other more suitable day. Many First Nations people, of course, need no convincing they have always known . What's on "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. Australia Day: Change the date? In 2020 we are giving our staff the option to work on the Australia Day public holiday Monday 27 January and take a day off at another time. } 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. The equivalent for Australia is July 9, 1900. 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. In fact to all Aboriginals, January 26th marks the beginning of a long-standing oppressive regime that took away their rights, their unique cultures, and their resources. And no, its not being unpatriotic. if(ignore != '' && all_links.href.search(ignore) != -1) { Two-factor authentication (2FA) should also be enabled. Planning the change process and troubleshooting and reporting bugs with vendors. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. But why not some other day how about the day that Australia garnered independence from the British empire, i.e., 9th October? Does Cbd Oil Help Ivdd Dogs. Combining eons of their own advances in sciencewith long standing trade relations with Muslim neighbours, First Peoples were already on an enviable trajectory. Here is why. Much like the work you need to do to become an effective anti-racist ally, having conversations about this with your family and friends brings the issue to the forefront. Stop supporting Whites who claim to be victimised Blacks! Celebrating on this day is an acknowledgment of the first time Europeans inhabited Australian land: men, women and children. On January 26, 1788, Arthur Phillip, who had sailed into what is now Sydney Cove with a shipload of convicts, hoisted the British flag at the site. If Australia wants to maintain its image as an inclusive and equality-based nation, then it needs to go back to its roots and change the date thatthey celebrate Australia Day. function external_links_in_new_windows_loop() { By comparison, Indigenous Australians have been protesting on the date since 1938 well before it was made a national holiday! Moreover, another fire was lit when a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, Cassius Turvey, died in 2022. // console.log('force ' + all_links.href); document.links[t].removeAttribute('target'); If it doesnt really matter to most people when Australia Day is held, but it does to the Aboriginal community, then why not just change the date of Australia Day? More from Letters to the Editor Barnaby is both out of touch and running out of time No wonder so many people believe that the date should be changed to any other day in the year! The information shown on this site is general information only. Putting ethics at the centre of everyday life. Australia Day. Indigenous people have called Australia home formore than 60,000 years, being custodians of theworlds oldest continuous living culture. Join over 10,000 members by joiningAustralias only Islamic Super Fund. It is a time when we are seeing rights and freedoms for all except the wealthiest Australians (and foreign companies) removed. Tales of white benevolence, whether real or imagined, will not obliterate stories of what was stolen or lost. 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. (Supplied: Australian War Memorial)January 28. Before then, in the lead to the 1888 celebrations, Henry Parkes the premier of NSW at the time was asked if he was planning anything for Aboriginal people on Australia, to which he simply retorted, And remind them that we have robbed them?. ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { Many are asking whether Australia Day should be on January 26th. Changing the date would show that we have aspirations for this country to become greater than it is. According to SBS, Yarra Council and Darebin Council in Melbourne also voted to cancel citizenship ceremonies on this date for the same reason. var d = document, By signing up, you agree to Pedestrian Group's Terms of Service and consent to our Privacy Policy. Your achievements and a few scars and from some mistakes and things that you could have done better.. Change the Date and we will dismantle the systems and structures that oppress us.. color: yellow!important; .podcast-banner.show_mobile { 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". To conclude, the date of Australia day should be changed to reflect changing community attitudes. While 49 per cent believed the date was likely to move within the next decade. It wasn't until 1994 that the Australia Day public holiday was consistently held on 26 January each year. We are seeing the modest improvements in Indigenous rights eroded and dismantled. You could say that this was the day we finally came together as Aussies. And how can we celebrate our nation on a date that so many mourn? Not to mention, the colonial structures that are at the foundation of the Australia we now know are still very much impacting on the experiences of Indigenous people, and ultimately, continuing to oppress and disadvantage them systematically. } The only reasons I can fathom for opposition to changing the date is white privilege, or perhaps even racism. Cancelling the commemoration completely would move the conversation around racism forward in this country, while also highlighting the needs of First Nations peoples. (function() { Keeping politics out of Australia Day This movement sparked a number of much-needed conversations including the ways in which systemic racism operates within this country. When is Australia Day? Kamilaroi man and Channel 9 sports journalist, Jake Duke told Clothing the Gap that he would like to see the date of Australia Day changed. While marketed as a day of celebration, January 26 marks the day that Australias First Nations people lost their country. That's 5% down from last year and an 11% drop from 2019. if (typeof window.onload != 'function'){ Each year, a growing number of Australians acknowledge that the 26thof January is not an appropriate date for an inclusive celebration. Obviously, he isnt considering the full picture and the entire experience of all the Australian citizens. Nothing. Melbourne City Council likely to advocate Australia Day date change. display: none !important; Its time to air our dirty laundry and heal the wounds side by side, and make a better future for all Australians. 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? Today is not a protest: we gather to reflect on why this date is better than any of the other 364 days. And they are wrong for seven reasons. This is a fundraising ribbon circulated for the first Australia Day on July 30, 1915. If you are an Australian, then you are aware of the debate that surrounds Australia day being on the 26th of January. News Corp reports 29% of more than 1,000 people surveyed said they would celebrate Australia Day 2021. This move was criticised, with the Resources Minister at the time, Matt Canavan, calling it a disgraceful decision. } Before you arc up, no one is suggesting we dont celebrate this beautiful country we live in. w[ l ].push( { As the majority of the Australian population is non-Indigenous, it speaks to the beginning of this part of Australias history. Why not that day instead of a day that signifies the death of native cultures that occupied Australia for more than 60,000 years before? var change_link = false; It should not be relied upon for tax, legal or accounting advice. Before making an investment decision, you need to consider (with or without the assistance of an adviser) whether this information is appropriate to your needs, objectives and circumstances. By contrast, many non-Indigenous Australians dont actually know what the date signifies. 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. Just Another Australia Day Post Hoping To Make You Feel All The Feels. As more organisations seek to observe the history of the date, his two teenage daughters, Sienna-Swan and Krystal-Rose, perform at multiple ceremonies each year. Tony Birch, Tony Birch: A Change of Date Will Do Nothing to Shake Australia From Its Colonial-Settler Triumphalism, IndigenousX, 21 January 2018. This is the date the City of Fremantle council chose to use this . The date signifies the beginning of a long, painful history of bloody genocide, slavery, stolen land and stolen children that lasted hundreds of years. Then to have a separate day of celebration, inclusive for all. He also plays a key role in ensuring research services business intelligence processes and operations are conducted in accordance with all audience measurement guidelines. 18 January 2018. Australia Day should be the day we become a republic. This website provides you with general information only and does not take account of your individual investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Gemma McKinnon, If Indigenous Voices Cant Even Be Heard on Australia Day, What Hope Have We Got? ABC News, 23 January 2018. window.onload = func; In 2016, Fremantle Council voted to change its Australia Day celebrations out of respect for Indigenous Australians, while Byron Shire Council in New South Wales has moved some of its festivities from January 26. Kamilaroi dancer Russell Dawson's cultural education and performance company Koomurri Entertainment has seen a rise in bookings on Australia Day. In fact,every year around December, the debate starts over again. padding-left: 16px; You should obtain a copy of the relevant product disclosure statement and target market determination, before making any financial decisions in relation to these products or services. The fact that it isnt is an interesting glimpse into the chasm of systemic racism. Australia Day is marked on 26 January every year with a national public holiday. A common argument about changing the date is questioning what it will actually achieve. "Part of a maturing nation is the willingness to listen and learn from someone else's view and to keep a dialogue open," she said. It is insensitive and exclusive, it is no longer taken seriously, and the 26th doesn't mean as much as we think. Not-for-profit organisation Australians Together has a similar train of thought, writing: Its true, that as Australians, we should be able to come together and celebrate the things about our nation that were proud of and grateful for. In June 2020, following the death of Black man George Floyd at the hands of the American police in Minnesota, Black Lives Matter protests occurred around the world, including here in Australia. if (!document.links) { May 9, the day of the first sitting of Federal Parliament in 1901 and the day that Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. -------------------------------------------------------------. Indigenous groups have been protesting the date foralmost 90 years. 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