Australia Day

Every country has been invaded and over run at some stage in history. Not saying it is right, but you can’t change history, only learn from it.

I think of Australia Day as a day for all Australians no matter what colour or religion. Maybe we need to change the name of the day, but really do we change the name of Christmas Day or Good Friday because people do not believe. Or do we have a sorry Day to reflect on the terrible things we did to the indigenous people.
 
The date is extremely important and the last time that I celebrated it was the bi-centenary back in 88\. I was enjoying the day out on my boat amongst the tall ships and then went ashore near Mrs Macquarie Point, finding a indigenous rally in full swing.

Whilst I was lucky enough to receive a reasonable education of actual occurrences and atrocities committed, it took that rally to open my eyes to the feelings of their modern community. May 8 or Jan 1 sound good to me, but happy enough with any date other than the current one.

I took my son to see the fireworks, but he understands that is a separate event and why we do not celebrate colonisation.
 
Please keep Australia Day date as 26 January.

Changing the name makes no difference because this is the third re-iteration, I think.

Not 100% but it was taught at my primary school and it was previously known as Foundation day and Anniversary Day not for any other reason at the time because we weren’t Australia yet.

Quite a lot of people don’t acknowledge or celebrate Christmas Day for religious or other beliefs but this date won’t change, nor should it.

I understand the indigenous argument and why many of them refer to this day as Invasion Day but I will continue to support and celebrate Australia Day on this date.

However, there will always be those who don’t really care, and if a referendum were held, these people would vote to change the date so they could get a Bathurst 1000 long weekend.
 
These days people need a clear conscious to feel ok about themselves. Its ridiculous.

I prefer to hang out with people who are confident in the knowledge they arent racists and they are good people.

The truth is always in the middle. You can keep all your left and right rubbish.

Leave the date as it is.
 
Its over for another year and they can put their banners away until next year, I agree with Kerrie anne lets see them do something positive instead of being a nuisance. Leave the date alone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Leave the date alone, when the first fleet landed they didn't just automatically start slaughtering Indigenous people, they were friendly with the Indigenous at first. Then they started killing them after. So tell me, when are we supposed to celebrate Australia Day? Let's just celebrate it on a random date that literally has so significance what so ever. It happened over 230 years ago, you don't see the Jewish people still holding grudges against the Germans for all the horrible things they did. They need to move on, just like the Indigenous Americans did, just like the Jewish and Polish population did, just like a lot of other countries and races this stuff has happened too during World War 2 etc but they still moved on and don't hold grudges or expect payouts or free education and so on. I'm not racist, I'm just telling the truth and speaking how a lot of Australians feel.
 
"you don’t see the Jewish people still holding grudges against the Germans for all the horrible things they did."

If Germany had a celebration on the day the concentration camps opened, they'd be upset.
 
True, well parts of it, but more and more of us each time it is celebrated are feeling that the day is just plain wrong. Just as all of us are now free to marry whomever we choose, that likely would not have passed a decade ago, yet it was decided in an avalanche of goodwill.

I changed my mind as a young man thirty years ago and feel that with the current momentum, all it needs is a sympathetic government to carry the motion as the community is ready.
 
I don't think that everyone who wants to keep the date is necessarily racist. Maybe a little inconsiderate of what the day means to others (which realistically you can apply both ways,) but not so much racist. A lot of people consider it as a day to celebrate what we have now and are well meaning in the sense that we are one of the few well functioning multicultural nations (we're not perfect but for the most part we do OK.) Unfortunately for the First Nations, they were dispossessed to achieve this and they don't enjoy certain aspects of life that the rest of Australia (inclusive of all subsequent immigrants, not limited to WASPS and the Irish,) have benefit from as a result of their dispossession.

If someone came to my home, forced me out and told me I could live in my garden I wouldn't be happy, nor grateful. We still have living remnants of a significant national shame in the stolen generation. Those people are still alive and an example of the continued marginalisation of the Aboriginal Australians.

Listening to their concerns instead of calling them whingers might go a long way. Just as Australia Day means something different to everyone who is not descended from the First Nations, it means something different to all Aboriginal Australians and they will have differing ideas on what it means to them (some want it to remain on the day so it can be utilised as a day to count the cost of what we enjoy, others want it changed and others again have non-issue with it.)

A very complex issue to say the least.
 
CB that would be one of the most considered and thought out posts I’ve ever read. I love your back garden analogy. I’m pro current date and believe Australia Day should be a celebration of our country as it stands today. But you have really given me reason to at least rethink the debate
 
Maybe some of the Aboriginal activists should look more inwardly.
There is no doubt there were some terrible things done by white police, army units and settlers ….a sign of the times, unfortunately.
There were, however, lots of black deaths in retaliation for killing white settlers or stealing stock etc ... and usually in greater numbers than the deaths of the whites.
Remember these were the days when you could get hanged for plenty of, what we now deem trivial, offences.
A large number of Aboriginals were also killed and massacred by their own people - The Native Patrol.
I will never see January 26 as Invasion Day.
It is the birth of modern Australia.
If you want to celebrate the birth of ancient Australia then do it on another day.
Let’s not forget the Aboriginals came here and completely wiped out the people who were here before them.... yet I’ve never heard an activist mention genocide in relation to that.
 
Great post CB, one of my wife friends in an Aboriginal elder, I'm going to go and have an in-depth talk with about his thoughts on Australia Day and what it means to him and his people.
 
As I understand, there are some Aborigines (supported by SJW virtue signalers) who don't see bigger issue for Aborigines than Australia Day. On the other hand there are Aborigines (supported by the other crowd) like: Anthony Mandine, Jacinta Nampijinpa, Bess Price, Anthony Dillon etc. who are aginst.
I beklieve that both groups are sincere and want the best for their people.
Go figure.
 
There is a lot that needs corrected in your post but the only thing I wanna point out is that they're not getting "payouts"- the indigenous population has lower life expectancy, higher imprisonment, more risk of heart conditions, higher rates of suicide etc. The reason the government wants to help them out is so to see a change in this number.

They have been victimised and they deserve as much assistance as possible until these numbers change.
 
It's not that hard to understand why the day has a different meaning to Indigenous Australians, so I have no idea how anyone is actually offended by this when it is brought up.

I feel it's important to address the entirety of our nation's history - including the Aboriginal version. Regardless of how uncomfortable it might make us feel.
No, I don't think our current government should be held accountable for past actions however I do believe it could be a little more inclusive of the Indigenous community and more respectful of Aboriginal culture.
The real problem with this though is, how do you even come up with a solution that is inclusive to (all of) the Aboriginal population?
I think this would only create a failure to be culturally appropriate to each various community i.e outback NSW & QLD, and the more traditional communities in NT and WA - where the date probably isn't as significant and wouldn't be one of their biggest issues.
I have nothing against changing the date and it wouldn't personally bother me if there was some form of acknowledgement to the Eora people, Pemulway, the longevity of Aboriginal culture or even government policies that helped cause inter-generational trauma. I think a day of mourning could be a viable option.
**Are there any Indigenous forum users? I would love to hear of any possible solutions.**

As someone who has studied Ancient History (and loved/s learning about) the many different civilisations and cultures throughout the world, the fact that Aboriginals are the world's oldest continuous culture - and have outlived civilisations such as the Aztecs etc., - is quite remarkable to me.
I struggle to see why our country doesn't embrace this or celebrate the survival of Aboriginal culture and heritage?

In response to some comments:
* The Jewish community holds a Holocaust Remembrance Day in commemoration of their horrific tragedy and we also have a Remembrance Day in honour of our fallen ANZACs. What is so bad about exploring and discussing the concept of paying tribute to the sufferings of the ancestors of Aboriginals?
* Scientific studies have already proven that they are in fact the first Australians.
* The **most recent discovery** were tools found at Kakadu, carbon dated at 80,000 years old. Other recent studies was a Genome study that determined Aboriginals, and Papua New Guineans, carry the DNA of an unidentified & unknown extinct human species - which also supports the theory Aboriginals were part of the first wave to leave Africa.This study also genetically linked them to an isolated Amazonian tribe.
* **On another note the most recent Scientific study has shown that this beautiful beautiful country is actually where life on Earth began - the fossils were found in Pilbara.**
 
Not sure if hyperlinks work now but I found this to be a very fair and balanced take on the issue:

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/joe-hildebrands-take-on-the-australia-day-date-debate/news-story/1bd2fce2810645eadb263e2c1f37314c
 
@cktiger opinions are certainly allowed and are rightly encouraged, but I have never heard of anyone preceding the aboriginal people's of Australia, let alone being massacred by them, so please point us to any information to corroborate such a claim?
 
I've heard some claptrap doing the bbq rounds up this way that says, in effect, some people that the Papuans descended from were here before the Australian Aboriginals were. I believe it is being spread in order to undermine the Aboriginal peoples claim as first Australians. From my reading, there is nothing at all to substantiate it.
 
@formerguest and NT_Tiger

There has been talk of it for many years.
This is quite interesting link… lots more online regarding the subject I think.

https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/history-wars/2002/06/the-extinction-of-the-australian-pygmies/
 
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