January 26 represents Australia’s national day. It marks the day when the first fleet of settlers and convicts arrived from Britain to Sydney Cove to establish a permanent settlement. It first became a public holiday in 1818, but it was not until 1946 that Australia Day was accepted and recognised in all Australian states and territories.
Australia Day is now a time of national celebration. Public festivals are held at both unofficial and official levels. Speeches are given by politicians and social leaders, and it is a favourite day for holding citizenship ceremonies to welcome new members of Australia’s culturally diverse community.
Protests
While millions of Australians celebrate, or simply enjoy a day off, tens of thousands take to the streets to protest. For example, this year a crowd of 60,000 turned out in the streets of Melbourne, demanding that the date be changed, or the celebration be abolished altogether. Similar, though smaller, protests took place in other Australian cities.
For such demonstrators, January 26 represents ‘Invasion Day’. They argue that it is wrong to commemorate the day when progressive dispossession of Aboriginal land occurred at the hands of British settlers, leading to the situation today where the original inhabitants of Australia represent a marginalised and disadvantaged community. While such protests are not new, the scale of the protest has increased significantly in recent years.
Protests against Australia’s national day gain little traction among Australia’s two main political parties: the Liberal-National coalition and the Labor Party. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull put the majority position well in saying: ‘We recognise that the history of European settlement in Australia has been complex and tragic for Indigenous Australians. We recognise all the complexities and challenges of our history. But above all, on Australia Day we recognise and we celebrate our achievements as Australians. A free country debates its history, it does not deny it … I’m disappointed by those who want to change the date of Australia Day, seeking to take a day that unites Australia and Australians and turn it into one that divides us.’
While not as strident, opposition leader Bill Shorten of the Labor Party also made it clear that he did not support changing the date for Australia’s national day. The exception on the political stage is the minority party, the Greens.
A poll taken by The Guardian in September 2017 found that 26% of Australians supported changing the date, while 54% opposed changing it.
Aboriginal views are far from unanimous. Indigenous Alice Springs councillor Jacinta Price argues Aboriginal people in remote communities have bigger issues to worry about. In similar vein, prominent Aboriginal businessman Warren Mundine said: ‘Let’s start dealing with the unemployment, the health and the education of Aboriginal people rather than dealing with this issue.’
Christians’ views
Many Christians and churches sympathised with the protest movement. Some churches, such as Ganggalah Church in Tweed Heads, chose not to commemorate Australia Day as a congregation. Melbourne’s Bayside Church pastor, Rob Buckingham, wrote: ‘I believe we should have an annual day to celebrate this wonderful country. I just don’t think January 26 – called Invasion Day by some – is the best day to celebrate.’ Christian justice activist Jarrod McKenna tweeted: ‘If Australia Day is the celebration of a nation and not the celebration of colonisation, #changethedate!’ A series of ‘Acknowledgement Services’ were held at churches in Australia’s capital cities to recognise the injustices Aboriginal Australians have experienced, and to promote reconciliation.
Protest leaders argue that the momentum on their side of the debate is clearly growing. But many consider that the debate is a contrived issue and Australia faces far bigger challenges.
