January 26th 2025

[Roobs321]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Australian flag anywhere voluntarily in my home growing up. It isn’t an aesthetic people culturally care about. Nice to see on an official occasion, where it has its place and meaning, but it isn’t relevant, just a symbol by default. The flag itself is too boring to crossover beyond the chronic patriotic

But we do need a National day of sorts. One with less demeaning colonial connotations would help.

I recall my parents street decided to do a street party thing every Australia Day. Meet all the neighbours shindig. Not uncommon for people around the world to do this on a summer day of commemoration.

 

[peetoo]

It was significant to those who wanted to see Australia as a British colony, but don’t forget the day was held in July and August in the 1910s and 20s until the influence of NSW pushed the day to Jan 26 in commemoration of their founding. And the 1994 public holiday change.

But I’m more interested in how society viewed the day up until some years ago. My parent’s generation have told me in the 70s and 80s it was always the “January Long Weekend” and it was only after the bicentennial and Howard that the nationalistic flag waving started.



Yeah these guys were racist pricks who were the impetus behind the White Australia Policy:

Australian Natives' Association - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Basically a more polite version of the KKK. If you use them in your argument to keep the national holiday on Jan 26 then you lose

From wiki on Australian natives association. Found this interesting. assume they didn’t regard british as ‘foreign’

Views on racial bigotry and Nazism
edit
The ANA, although expressing a devout conviction for the return of the White Australia policy due to concerns for the "social impacts" of immigration,[33] has stated that "all men (even aliens) should be treated with basic dignity unless they have proven themselves worthy of something less".[34] The Association has publicly opposed the "fetishisation" and "copying" of what it considers foreign ideologies, such as Neo-Nazism:[35]
Those who carbon-copy foreign symbolism, ideology and fetishize foreign personalities above those of our own venerable history have ceased to be Nationalists. Well-intentioned racialists who have transcended nationality and ethnicity which sees a stronger connection to the Ku Klux Klan or Hitler's Third Reich than to Australia cannot be reconciled with an Australian-centric worldview. They, like many others are a product of globalisation.

 

[Ivelisse]

Except it’s not green and gold that “patriots” wear on Jan 26 it’s red white and blue:

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/australia-day-in-25-iconic-images/image-gallery/26904f2b3d52a9ace764d38daa184e09?page=5

Kmart drops Australia Day bombshell by not stocking merchandise

A frustrated customer took to the Kmart Facebook page to vent their anger about the store's lack of Australia Day merchandise on Wednesday, while others said it was trying to 'delete' the day.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Green and Gold is for sporting events.

It is undeniable that displays of the national flag have decreased on the 26th offer the last 10 years or so:

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/bondi-beach-exposes-what-aussies-really-think-about-australia-day/news-story/a2fa53fece0ebdbd0058768a7ebce603?amp

I think the boom in displaying the national flag that started in the 90s was stopped by the Cronulla riots, then the early 2010s “patriot” rallies further stigmatised the flag, along with all the anti vaxxer rallies. Greater recognition of indigenous concerns also had a part to play.

Last year I walked around my suburb and drove around the city on the 26th. I could count the amount of Australian flags or flag clothing worn by people or displayed on houses or cars on one hand. Blink and you’d miss it. I’ll keep an eye out this 26th but I doubt a bit more angry shouting from Sky ‘News’ isn’t going to bring back the flag waving of the 90s and 00s so I predict again it’ll be just another public holiday

Red, white & blue are dated imperial colours for monarchist dorks

 

[schneebly111]

Red, white & blue are dated imperial colours for monarchist dorks

Yeah - why don’t we see Green and Gold as the dominant colour on Australia Day if it’s all about “Australian patriotism” then?

We see the Union Jack at night because the supporters of the day at heart want to see this land as an Anglo/British country. That’s it.

 

[Saint]

The nationalism of Australia Day is dying a rightful death. Any defence of it sounds stupid.

But the ALP would be wise not to wade in, or else they'll give something else pointless and stupid for the conservatives to make a big deal out of and then accuse the ALP of not caring about important issues.

The ALP should just let the people kill it.

The only decent way of moving it would be to sign a treaty on Jan 27th and move it to then. But that's too much effort and very fraught to the point of not being worth it. The biggest hurdle being: Who the hell countersigns it?

 

[kalex6251]

herald $cum banging on about a 'new poll' saying true blue aussies have a had a gut full of australia day bashing

seriously, who writes this cr@p ..... or have newscorp simply dialled up the internal AI bot* to a patriotic 11?

* rita panahi

 

[Gavin Excell]

Under the 83-96 Labor government I think we were moving towards a truly Australian culture with uniquely Australian symbolism.

Remember - the anthem was only changed with the Hawke government in 1984. The Australia Act severing UK legal and parliamentary control over Australia in 1986. The first talk of a new flag started then too, and a push for Republicanism. I think had Keating been able to remain for a few terms more he would’ve succeeded with a Republic, new flag and then a new national day because he wanted a uniquely Australian identity moulded by our contemporary outlook and position in Asia.

It was Howard who brought back the “Australia is just the nation of British people on this land ever loyal to the crown”.



Yeah having travelled extensively Australians certainly show their flags less - because it looks f**king stupid with a foreign flag occupying 25% of it.

I think that period mid 80s when Australian nationalism was at its peak was probably the window for the Republican movement

I thinks it's gone now - there doesn't seem to be a sense in the community of pushing for it at the moment

 

[peetoo]

herald $cum banging on about a 'new poll' saying true blue aussies have a had a gut full of australia day bashing

seriously, who writes this cr@p ..... or have newscorp simply dialled up the internal AI bot* to a patriotic 11?

* rita panahi

It was the coalition going on about it before christMas this year

 

[schneebly111]

herald $cum banging on about a 'new poll' saying true blue aussies have a had a gut full of australia day bashing

seriously, who writes this cr@p ..... or have newscorp simply dialled up the internal AI bot* to a patriotic 11?

* rita panahi

It was an IPA sponsored poll. So about as relevant as the dump I took this morning.

If you word the question correctly you can get any response you want. I prefer the poll taken in 2021 that showed only 20% of people actually planned to ‘celebrate’ Australia on the day rather than treat it as just another day off. And even then that number is far too high. 1 out of 5 people in my average middle class Australian suburb are not doing anything “Aussie” on “Australia” day.

Look beyond the poll numbers where people who don’t usually give a thought to the issue are forced to give an answer on something they don’t care about too much. Look at the actual amount of people ‘celebrating Australia’ on the 26th. Be careful because this year I bet the Murdoch papers and Sky will create a narrative that people are “back celebrating Australia in full force” and their papers will be littered with every picture they can find of anyone decked out in flag gear on the day.

Ignore that, go down to your local parks and beaches and see for yourself the amount of people actually wearing flag gear and specifically ‘celebrating’ the day. My guess is, just as the last few years, it’ll be almost none.

 

[peetoo]

Really it’s the right fuelling Australia Day 2025 culture wars.

I see a key promise of Duttons is to ‘end the culture wars’

Is this ‘OK make me PM and it try hard to resist being a racist’?

 

[schneebly111]

I see a key promise of Duttons is to ‘end the culture wars’

Culture wars have existed since politics have existed. The first Act of the Australian parliament over 100 years ago was a culture war (the White Australia Policy). In the late 1800s the culture war over women’s right to vote was raging with full force (those against at the time said it would lead to the eradication of society)

Culture wars have existed as long as culture has existed. They will continue as long as culture exists.

 

[blueboy25]

Really it’s the right fuelling Australia Day 2025 culture wars.

I see a key promise of Duttons is to ‘end the culture wars’

Is this ‘OK make me PM and it try hard to resist being a racist’?

Dutton asked Gina about whether to change the date and she said no, so that's now his position on the matter

 

[Rob R]

The nationalism of Australia Day is dying a rightful death. Any defence of it sounds stupid.

But the ALP would be wise not to wade in, or else they'll give something else pointless and stupid for the conservatives to make a big deal out of and then accuse the ALP of not caring about important issues.

The ALP should just let the people kill it.

The only decent way of moving it would be to sign a treaty on Jan 27th and move it to then. But that's too much effort and very fraught to the point of not being worth it. The biggest hurdle being: Who the hell countersigns it?

Biggest hurdle is the treaty should have to go to a referendum since it is a critical.document that relates to how Australia manages its past. If it doesn't then the election after will be a nasty one with the treaty torn up if Libs win.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Rob R]

herald $cum banging on about a 'new poll' saying true blue aussies have a had a gut full of australia day bashing

seriously, who writes this cr@p ..... or have newscorp simply dialled up the internal AI bot* to a patriotic 11?

* rita panahi

IPA crap, any survey can be made to give you the answer you want if you set it up properly.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Rob R]

I think that period mid 80s when Australian nationalism was at its peak was probably the window for the Republican movement

I thinks it's gone now - there doesn't seem to be a sense in the community of pushing for it at the moment

Republicans couldn't agree how it should be set up and now Australains with good reason hate pollies. In reality given all the other issues, health, environment, security etc noone has the government system as a high priority. Not helped by most of the world's largest republics being bad examples or dictatorships.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Saint]

Biggest hurdle is the treaty should have to go to a referendum since it is a critical.document that relates to how Australia manages its past. If it doesn't then the election after will be a nasty one with the treaty torn up if Libs win.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

If I were an indigenous group, I'd go to the Monarchy. Bypass the piddly Australian Govt.

I think they tried that in the past, but Elizabeth watered down anything like that. Charles might be looking to make a mark....

 

[schneebly111]

If I were an indigenous group, I'd go to the Monarchy. Bypass the piddly Australian Govt.

I think they tried that in the past, but Elizabeth watered down anything like that. Charles might be looking to make a mark....

But then wouldn’t that confirm that Australian is not a sovereign state and is ultimately under the rule of the British crown?

So why then do we celebrate “Australia” day?