January 26

[nobbyiscool]

Probably better than firing the cannons in the other direction?

I lived in Canberra for years. Your statement is incorrect.

 

[Goroyals22]

I am not sure why anyone would want to keep it on Jan 26. Put aside the arguments for and against, surely we are at the point where it's become divisive enough that it is no longer a day where people can comfortably 'celebrate'.

The 'patriotic' Aus flag celebration seems to have picked up in the face of the opposition to the day, and earlier events such as the Cronulla riots etc... I remember Aus day BBQs as a kid, there was at most some green and gold and that's it.

We need a day that commemorates our indigenous past, European settlement and subsequent immigration waves that have made this country great. Finding a day proves difficult (May 8 seems too bogan for me). The only sensible thing to do, is become a republic, change the flag, change the Anthem (only because it's s**t) and celebrate on that day.

If they do this right and keep as many happy as they can, it's a line in the sand moment where we can all move on together.

People can no longer celebrate comfortably??? Got news for you most people who are celebrating are doing it comfortably…

Sorry you can have collective guilt for those of us who refuse to have it for something not done by ourselves.

 

[Cap]

People can no longer celebrate comfortably??? Got news for you most people who are celebrating are doing it comfortably…

Sorry you can have collective guilt for those of us who refuse to have it for something not done by ourselves.

Yes, lacking empathy is a pretty huge problem in society.

We have become extremely self centred, at whatbcost of our community?

 

[Nice Swan Brother]

People can no longer celebrate comfortably??? Got news for you most people who are celebrating are doing it comfortably…

Sorry you can have collective guilt for those of us who refuse to have it for something not done by ourselves.

I have no guilt, and was going to a local Aus day event today but friends pulled out because its too hot.

What are you celebrating that couldn't be done on a different day?

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

Most of us DGAF as long as we get a day off work, if the majority want it changed then change it.
I'm just sick of the annual crap fight and having to pretend like I care.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

People can no longer celebrate comfortably??? Got news for you most people who are celebrating are doing it comfortably…

Sorry you can have collective guilt for those of us who refuse to have it for something not done by ourselves.

Why do you celebrate ANZAC day....you weren't there?

 

[Ghost Patrol]

People can no longer celebrate comfortably??? Got news for you most people who are celebrating are doing it comfortably…

Sorry you can have collective guilt for those of us who refuse to have it for something not done by ourselves.

Do you say things like 'Happy Anzac Day" ?

 

[hawkman]

Just add a 2nd question to the Voice referendum about if Australia Day should be on January 26

 

[Goroyals22]

Why do you celebrate ANZAC day....you weren't there?

You don’t celebrate Anzac Day for a start

 

[nobbyiscool]

You don’t celebrate Anzac Day for a start

Why not?

Isn’t a parade a celebration?

 

[Not Important]

 

[Not Important]

 

[the_interloper]

Just add a 2nd question to the Voice referendum about if Australia Day should be on January 26

That’s fair enough I reckon, I hope they move it, not sure to what date but Jan 26th is clearly on the nose for a lot.

I’m not going to start the debate right here and now, I’m in a caravan park, Aussie flags everywhere ha ha

 

[Baltimore Jack]

You don’t celebrate Anzac Day for a start

I see ex-servicemen laughing and drinking for the entire day

You need to get out more

 

[Romeoh1]

Big rally in Melbourne- lots of people turned out. Impressive. Go Melbourne.
Just change the date.

 

[JackFlash]

Big rally in Melbourne- lots of people turned out. Impressive. Go Melbourne.
Just change the date.

Would a date change make any difference? I have no problem with another date and an observed indigenous day, but I don't think that is on the agenda for the thousands of protesters. I don't think they want any recognition of Australian existence at all.

 

[Festerz]

Countries whose National Day celebrates independence from Britain:

USA
India
Sri Lanka
Malta
Myanmar
Pakistan
Tanzania
Malaysia
Bahamas
Iraq
Barbados
Nigeria
Botswana
Brunei
Cyprus
Ghana
Belize
Grenada
Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago
UAE
Vanuatu

Countries whose National Day celebrate British settlement / Colonisation:

Australia

 

[RandB]

In itself, changing the date is simply the right thing to do.

For most Australians it isn't necessarily a celebration of Jan 26th but more so celebrating on Jan 26 as it is our designated national day -a pretty simple notion which regularly gets hijacked in debate. If done properly, acknowledging the privileges you enjoy by living in Australia is a pretty grounded thing to do given the state of the world.

Regardless of this, for indigenous Australians it is alienating & humiliating (at best) and downright painful and demoralising (at worst) and that is a pretty logical and understandable sentiment. So Jan 26th is not achieving what it is purportedly set out to do - far from it.

I think the date change will happen sooner rather than later now but what could be a positive step forward will be quickly lost as any sentiment of unity/education/tolerance has been replaced by outright anger and vitriol now. Either way the date has to change and that's that really.

 

[Rotayjay]

I take umbrage that today is called “Invasion Day”.

The First Fleet landed on 18 January before realising how s**t Botany Bay is. Either that day or when Cook planted the flag in 1770 was Invasion Day.

If anything, today is a celebration in a significant upgrade in real estate, which as a property professional I somewhat respect, but I’m not sure why there’s such a song and dance about the date.

I would argue that, whilst James Cook claimed much of the continent in 1770, and the First Fleet landed on 18 January, 26 January 1788 was when the colony was proclaimed, and continuous non-Indigenous presence on the continent started. For those reasons, I can see why that date in particular is hurtful.

 

[Festerz]

I would argue that, whilst James Cook claimed much of the continent in 1770, and the First Fleet landed on 18 January, 26 January 1788 was when the colony was proclaimed, and continuous non-Indigenous presence on the continent started. For those reasons, I can see why that date in particular is hurtful.

Point of clarification. Captain James Cook only lay claim to a relatively small portion of the Australian mainland for the British Crown, calling it New South Wales.

 

[Festerz]

Nothing says you are a proud Australian more than getting a tattoo with a star constellation that can be seen by everyone in half of the planet.

 

[4cunningTonneTruck]

Big rally in Melbourne- lots of people turned out. Impressive. Go Melbourne.
Just change the date.

Yeah around 80k.

I wish people that don't understand the pain behind this day would just come down 1 year to the invasion day rally and listen to the speakers. So much debate I see about this day doesn't even take into account what First Nations people are actually fighting for. We could all stand to listen more.

 

[bzparkes]

Why not just change the name instead to national 'Sorry' day and organise educational workshops in city/town centres, where people can connect with the traditional owners and learn the history of the people who originally inhabited the land?

The date itself would actually remain relevant however the essence of the day would, in theory, completely change to celebrate indigenous culture instead.

 

[Tas]

I think we should become a republic and formally split from the Commonwealth and that can be Australia Day.

That being said, this invasion day thing is just politics which pulls at the heartstrings, if there is a section of the community that feels hurt about "invasion day" it is because various political groups have agitated them to feel that way, because it suits them.

Ms Thorpe, who is an Indigenous woman and the star of Melbourne’s treaty movement, declared “this is a war” to rapturous cheers.

“A war that was declared on our people more than 200 years ago,” Senator Thorpe said in an extraordinary speech, in which she said black women were still being r*ped by “them”.

Loud shouts of “shame” met Ms Thorpe’s consecutive declarations, given with red-painted hands symbolising violence and in which she held a “war stick”.

“That war has never ended in our country against our people. They are still killing us. They are still stealing our babies. They are killing our men. They are still raping our women,” she yelled to the crowd.

“What do we have to celebrate in this country? Do we want to become an advisory body to the colonial system?

“We deserve better. We have to be rid of racism and heal this country and bring everyone together through a sovereign treaty.

“We deserve better than an advisory body. They could put 10 independent black states in the senate today. We want real power and we won’t settle for anything less.”

Speaking to NCA NewsWire after her speech, Senator Thorpe denied it was confirmation she would spearhead a Voice no-vote.

“I won’t be part of any campaign,” she said.

https://www.news.com.au/national/thousands-flock-to-streets-to-protest-invasion-day-in-sydney-melbourne-brisbane-canberra/news-story/ce04b35bdc9925a41610943b3ef29332

The voice is a waste of time. Everyone has a voice, one person, one vote.
Changing Australia day is a waste of time. Whatever you change it to will always be the invasion day celebration.
Nothing will ever be good enough.

There can't be an endgame, as soon as it looks feasible that Australians are okay with moving the date or passing a referendum like the Voice, the goal posts have to keep shifting. The objective isn't a fixed outcome, it is to keep people agitated. Agitated people give you political power.

These people offer nothing constructive.

 

[Schneebly11]

I’m not going to start the debate right here and now, I’m in a caravan park, Aussie flags everywhere ha ha

Caravan mob - retired, white, boomer or earlier, usually not very wealthy, prime Australian flag hanging audience.

I just walked through my middle class suburb, maybe 2 or 3 Australian flags out of several hundred houses. Went down the Main Street and city earlier - nary a flag to be seen, not one store with a “Australia Day” display or anything similar.

Except for those heading to the Invasion Day rally it seemed like a normal Sunday.