January 26th 2025

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schneebly111

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Mar 23, 2023
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Probably time to fire up this year’s annual Jan 26/Australia/Invasion/Survival/“just another public holiday” thread.

This year we’ve had Woolies backflip on selling flag merchandise prior to the day (although they supposedly will be selling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags too), some local councils backflip on Jan 26 citizenship ceremonies, and the pub group back flipping on their plan to not hold events on the day.

On the other hand other councils changing their ceremonies and events, whilst Invasion Day protests in cities look again to be well attended and the biggest attended event on Jan 26 in each city,

Looking behind the inflammatory media headlines I’m more interested in the local and community level. Are people still attending Aus Day BBQs and events? Planning on getting decked out in flag clothing? I remember it was at a peak in the 90s and 2000s (too young to remember before that but some have said it wasn’t as “patriotic” when the public holiday was a long weekend).

Now days seeing flags and flag clothing on the 26th is like spotting a Dodo. Still the way? Anyone know people who are planning to have a “Aussie” event on the 26th? Or is it now just Kings Birthday/Labor day, or just another day off?
 

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Deliverance said:
Maybe it was the people I hung around with, but no one I knew thought of this day as a patriotic day at all. It was just a day off to have a BBQ and relax with friends. No more or less imprtant than Labor day for example.
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It's been harnessed now by the outraged Murdoch hysteria
 
Deliverance said:
Maybe it was the people I hung around with, but no one I knew thought of this day as a patriotic day at all. It was just a day off to have a BBQ and relax with friends. No more or less imprtant than Labor day for example.
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I read an interesting statistic a few years back where paramedics would say its one of the worst days of the year for hospital emergencies with increased drunkenness and all its associated ills
 
Deliverance said:
Maybe it was the people I hung around with, but no one I knew thought of this day as a patriotic day at all. It was just a day off to have a BBQ and relax with friends. No more or less imprtant than Labor day for example.
Click to expand...

Speaking to those who grew up in through the 70s and 80s January 26th wasn’t always the “patriotic” affair it became in the 90s and 00s. They said it was always referred to as the “January Long Weekend” or the long weekend at the end of school holidays, never made much of a fuss and surely no cheap plastic flags and boardies/bikinis to be seen. Maybe the council held a quiet morning tea for citizen of the year award winner but that was it.

Then the Bicentennial celebrations happened in 1988, patriotism increased and by 1994 the public holiday had been switched to the 26th. Then Howardism arrived and nationalism was pushed. This went from the 90s into the 00s with things like anti migrant and anti Muslim sentiment fuelling things like the Cronulla riots (no surprise the rioters were probably massive flag waver on Aus day).

So in reality instead of changing the sentiment around the day we’re just reverting moving back to the existing pre 90s sentiment about the day
 
Gavin Excell said:
I read an interesting statistic a few years back where paramedics would say its one of the worst days of the year for hospital emergencies with increased drunkenness and all its associated ills
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Easily the worst - for one people start drinking early in the heat and drink into the evening. Plus now Australia Day attracts a certain crowd who are lesser educated, more prone to violence and attacks on minority groups if intoxicated. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that racially motivated assaults are up on the 26th too

This did not happen on Jan 26th but it’s a similar sentiment I think, a racist attack from a white Australian against a group of Asian fishers in Brisbane on Anzac Day, looks like he’d been drinking all day after a morning service and pumped full of alcohol and nationalist rhetoric:

 
The sooner we get rid of 26 January as Australia Day, the better. I do wonder, though, whether another date will also be snubbed. Would appreciate feedback on that.

Living near St Kilda Rd I attended several Australia Day parades and the demise of that has had a massive impact IMO. It was an opportunity for people from over 100 countries to celebrate the country they adopted as their new home. Whether we like it or not Australia is an immigrant country with 8.2 million or 30% of the population born overseas.
 
Don’t think I have ever actually spent the day celebrating being an Australian. The busiest I’ve probably ever been on the day is getting shit faced with friends when I was younger.
People kicking up a fuss about changing it are just over changes and being told what to do. Which I get, but this ain’t the one to go after. Change it and respect the decision.
 
adogsfan5 said:
Don’t think I have ever actually spent the day celebrating being an Australian. The busiest I’ve probably ever been on the day is getting shit faced with friends when I was younger.
People kicking up a fuss about changing it are just over changes and being told what to do. Which I get, but this ain’t the one to go after. Change it and respect the decision.
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What are things that people are being told to do that they're over?
 

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Gough said:
And you're being evasive. Tell me about how Welcome to Country incenses you so.
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Got no problem at all with welcome to country. Think it’s fantastic and took part in a ceremony at local footy level.
A moderator tarnishing with the racism brush without any claims, interesting.
 
adogsfan5 said:
Got no problem at all with welcome to country. Think it’s fantastic and took part in a ceremony at local footy level.
A moderator tarnishing with the racism brush without any claims, interesting.
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So if it's not Welcome to Country what else are people sick of?
 
adogsfan5 said:
Don’t think I have ever actually spent the day celebrating being an Australian. The busiest I’ve probably ever been on the day is getting shit faced with friends when I was younger.
People kicking up a fuss about changing it are just over changes and being told what to do. Which I get, but this ain’t the one to go after. Change it and respect the decision.
Click to expand...
You're own words man and you can't provide a single shred of evidence to support them.
 
Gough said:
You're own words man and you can't provide a single shred of evidence to support them.
Click to expand...

You know exactly where the thread will go if I answer that question. You already know the answer.
You are purposely going down that route for an argument.
Come at me privately you weak shit.
 

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January 26th 2025

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