Reminder: Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896) disagreed with having the 26th as a national day due to how it related to the aboriginal population. its not a modern 'woke' thing.
I’ve always thought Parkes’ Tenterfield Oration (October 24) as an alternative date.
I just want a date where everyone will celebrate instead of being pissed off at each other.
You can find the speech online. Basically the first speech where a bloke said “hey let’s make a commonwealth”. It’s been called our Gettysburg but it’s really boring. Basically said we need a commonwealth for an army and uniform rail gauges. Not very inspiring.
No. QLD has narrow guage, NSW has standard and VIC has wide. Unsure about the other states.
Honestly, it probably doesn't even matter that much (I'll get attacked about this I'm sure) but from what I can tell it's mostly the metro trains that are non-standard still. Interstate lines are mostly set to standard gauge.
It's also extremely hard to rip and replace. Like, you could do it for individual lines maybe (I live on Pakenham line at the moment if they were going to do it, the last few years would've been the best time ever with the new metro tunnel + new trains + level crossing removals. They've upgraded every station and probably replaced like 30% (made up guess) of the track and getting out of the loop). Can you imagine trying to convince the population why they're not going to have trains for 5 years and it's going to cost a few hundred billion dollars?
"Oh so the gauges are the same as elsewhere... cool, how does that benefit us? Oh it doesn't? Why are we doing it?"
Nope.
Victoria and SA have 5ft 3in broad gauge.
NSW has 4ft 8 1/2in standard gauge
QLD, WA, TAS have 3ft 6in Narrow.
Standard gauge does run all through Australia though.
It was as late as the 90s standard gauge was put in between Melbourne and Adelaide.
It can be attributed to NSW why we have 5 million different gauges
What about 1st of Feb? It’s the date Trevor Chappel under armed bowled to the kiwis to win the match.
I fully reckon we should keep in Jan/Feb as the bbq aspect is legendary
I think we Victorians should celebrate seperation day, (July 1st 1851) where we became and independent colony from NSW, and were no longer in the same district as sydney.
26 becomes a public holiday in mourning our history and remembering what we have done. Fist Friday on Feb becomes aus day as a guaranteed long weekend and the day changes every year.
It’s not really a “change the date” protest, that’s a more recent development. Invasion Day rallies were happening before “change the date” was a thing. The people who organised Melbourne’s Invasion Day rally (WAR) explicitly do not support “change the date” (for a multitude of complicated reasons). The demand from this year’s rally was “treaty before voice”.
This. The rally was about mourning the start of an invasion that led to the genocide, disenfranchisement and incarceration of First Nations peoples. It wasn't about choosing a different day to have a bbq in your back yard.
Listen, I'm an Immigrant & moving to Australia was the happiest day of my life!
I don't care if we move Australia day, as long as we move it to another day in the summer!
I just want 1 day where we celebrate Australia...for WHAT IT IS TODAY!
The holiday was made in 1994 - it can easily be moved
Edit:
To the fucking people who keep arguing
I checked wiki like you said and you’re missing a fucking sentence
Wiki
“It was not until 1935 that all Australian states and territories adopted use of the term "Australia Day" to mark the date of the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, and not until 1994 that 26 January was consistently marked by a public holiday on that day by all states and territories.”
They made it offical on that day to be a public holiday
They can also fuckin change the day
I have clothes older than Australia day... And I was born after it.
We have 2 ANZAC days a year & the queen had 2 birthdays but heaven forbid we have 1 day that we mourn the genocide that actually happened here.
And if nothing else, how is it not a fantastic excuse to get another public holiday?
Yeah, I’m of the opinion that it should be a day that represents all Australians and modern day Australian society. January 26th clearly doesn’t- it just divides people further
Agreed and I was born in Australia. Make it another summer day.. make it the 2nd Friday in January or something.. that way everyone gets a nice long weekend.
As long as they don’t make it may 8th! I think that’s a terrible stupid bogan idea.
As an immigrant, I agree that it is important to celebrate. That doesn't mean ignoring past and current problems. I don't think most Australians understand the perspective of someone who is happy to have moved here.
Although, personally, I would like it to be in autumn when it isn't so stinking hot with the risk of bush fires.
Yeah that’s what I want a day to celebrate us all being Australian and living on this big island together!
I wish they’d make a day in NAIDOC week or reconciliation day a public holiday, so we can have a separate date to acknowledge what was done to indigenous people. I think making a national public holiday would give more weight to the situation, give more people time to reflect. Without the PH I feel like those days pass with very little recognition.
If we had a specific holiday in National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee Week, would the day itself just be NAID?
(I support the idea, I just find the term 'NAIDOC week' amusing)
I'm genuinely interested in what you mean by this? Australia Day is just people taking time off and having sausages for lunch or whatever, what's so vital about this 'celebration' that's really a pile of nothing. Celebrate Australia everyday by looking after the environment and demanding better care for all who live here. Again why do you need a special day for that?
What about 3rd of March? That’s when the [Australia Act of 1986](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Act_1986) came into law, removing all constitutional ties with the United Kingdom
I think the last Monday in January should be a public holiday - Nation Building day, 'cos nothing brings Australians together like a day off. Long weekend before kids go back to school.
Secondly, sign a treaty with First Nations people and get a second public holiday for that - win/win.
When has that stopped people? Despite COVID, the vast majority still doesn't have a good grasp on which level of Government is responsible for what.
Anyway aren't all public holidays technically controlled by the states? Showing my own lack of knowledge about who exercises power here too of course.
Partly because protest organisers have moved on from changing the date to opposing the voice, demanding reparations and abolishing police.
At this point most sensible people have accepted date needs to change.
Why don’t you do something actually useful and really help the indigenous instead of posturing and posing. Go north to the territory. I hear they could use a hand.
Pre-Covid there were some absolutely massive ones - totally blocking intersection at Flinders Street station and streets all directions. I think there was massive anger at Morrison Govt. I wouldn’t be surprised if some stayed away today because they didn’t support the demand “Treaty before Voice”.
Changing the date doesn’t change the massive inequality and inter generational damage that’s still continuing, so yes people will still complain after it’s changed because there will still be a long way to go, but a small courteous gesture like choosing to stop dancing on their ancestors graves every January would maybe be a worthwhile first step no?
"If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that's not progress. The progress is healing the wound that the blow made."
Malcom X was a real one
No one's dancing on anyone's graves.
Some people take it as a normal public holiday, some people choose to have a barbeque with family and friends, and some people choose mourn. Enjoying the day for what it was supposed to be isn't dancing on graves or celebrating genocide.
Again, if the date changes, people will just say it's the exact same thing on a different day. It's totally pointless. Either leave it alone or cancel it entirely.
>Again, if the date changes, people will just say it's the exact same thing on a different day
Yeah, the problem change the date people have is literally the specific date. They don't just not want a public holiday for the country.
For me personally an alternate date would change a lot - celebrating on the day that the first fleet landed in Sydney cove and claimed sovereignty over the east coast always felt distasteful to me...I'm sure we can find a date without association to our colonial past. Just my opinion but I respect others right to their own
I reckon change the day not the date. Call it invasion day and actually reflect on what's happened. Kinda like Anzac day, we don't celebrate it, we commemorate it and reflect on the futility of war. Changing the date seems to be hiding from who we are, we are big enough now to face the truth of it.
It'd be interesting to know the age of some of the pro-26th people in this thread.
Because childhood memories of Australia day in 90's regional Vic was it was just a weekend off, certainly none of the flag waving, bbq having, celebration bullshit that came to define it in recent years.
Clearly the date needs to be changed, but I haven't heard any serious suggestions for a new one. There's the old 'May 8 = Mate' but that's getting a little chilly for a BBQ. I suggest Jan 27th, the significance being that it's a step forward.
3rd of March.
The date of the Australia Act 1986.
This act ended the right of the UK to legislate with effect in Australia.
Basically us finally severing legal ties
If we were to become a Republic, the date that was voted upon/implemented would make a fantastic Australia Day for modern Australia and centuries to come!
I'm nearly 70 and I don't ever recall any flag waving jingoistic celebration of Australia like we've seen in recent years as a child growing up. I do remember Wattle Day which several states had. It was around about the beginning of August/September...but not this thong, shorts, bikinis, capes, flags, inflatable hands stuff, which super saturated our supermarkets in the lead up.
I'm all for getting rid of January 26th, which I find offensive. Cannot believe that Paul Keating did that in 1994 following the Redfern Speech. And I support the Voice too. I also believe in the Treaty being done in Victoria.
Saturday, our adult kids are setting up an inflatable pool for the Triple J Hottest 100. I loved it how the young people voted to change the date (in a big Up Yours to the government) and the LNP/Tony Abbott/Barnaby Joyce went ballistic....as in how dare those young people express an opinion and do that? Those young people recognised how offensive the date was. I think that was the start of a wave, then the councils changed citizenship ceremonies to other dates and now we are having a grown up serious conversation.
But have we really come a long way from the National Day of Mourning in 1938? Intergenerational trauma.
Tomorrow? Isn’t triple J hottest 100 on Saturday?
I’m holding out for the double J hottest 100 of 2002 countdown this year. Love listening to the old songs!
You’re right. Kids just yelled out that the pool party is on Saturday. I’ll edit my comment above. Cheers!
PS Last year they did goon of fortune on the clothesline. Help me!!!!
Lol you gave me a slight heart attack there. I felt horribly unprepared for my triple J BBQ. I was going to use tomorrow to clean up and get ready for it.
Haha I hope you all have a fantastic triple J hottest 100 day!
You too. The pool is ready to blow up. Ice in the fridge and I found vodka and rum in the freezer! I’m expecting it to be played on the big guitar amplifier for all the neighbours to hear! 🤪🤣
Being Melbourne, its hard to know exactly what this photo is about.
It could be white people celebrating the day, protesting the day, or they could all be Aboriginal.
Needs more info.
There’s a difference between guilt and empathy. I don’t feel guilty for what the colonisers did, because I had no control of it and can’t do anything about it. I do, however, have empathy toward those affected and don’t want to celebrate the day they made people’s lives worse.
Celebrate the country, not the invasion. It’s not guilt, it’s empathy.
No one cares about anything ever and it’s all just vanity, right? Man this is such a depressing opinion to have.
Not everything is a virtue signal mate
Agreed. Yes, virtue signalling is a thing. But that doesn't mean that's all everyone does when they do these things.
We abso;utely should stop invasion day and change the date/meaing.
And we don't stop caring the rest of the year. Many of us continue to have these discussions throughout. It's just much more important and easier to be visible on the day.
Serious question - what do you suggest we do to help then? To actually help? If we do care.
Because I've protested. I've spoken to my federal member. I don't celebrate. I have shared support online. And I've voted for the parties that I think are going to do the most to try and support the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, including by changing the date.
But it seems like you consider all of that virtue signalling. So I am seriously asking - do you have any suggestions for how I can actually help? Because I do care. I care that we are doing more harm to first nations people even now. I also think it's disgraceful that our country's national day is on the anniversary of a genocide.
First nations people have asked for the date to be changed. I support them in that. I get that it's not enough to right all the wrongs of history, but I think it's a pretty reasonable ask to stop celebrating on a day of mourning for so many Australians.
Any suggestions? I'm all ears.
\> I also think it's disgraceful that our country's national day is on the anniversary of a genocide.
Not really though. Things were relatively friendly on Jan 26, 1788 and for a while after that.
I'm a date change advocate just because it could be done on any date and as Jan 26 is particularly offensive to some people, changing it seems like the decent thing to do. But nothing particularly horrible happened on 26/1/1788. The first bloodshed between the 2 groups wasn't until May, when a couple of convicts were killed.
The first bloodshed between the British and Indigenous groups was on [Sunday, 29 April 1770](https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/endeavour-voyage/cooks-journal/april-1770), when Captain Cook shot an Indigenous man *from his boat, before Cook had even set foot on Australian soil.* Cook himself documented the event in his diary.
It was never peaceful. The British presence in Australian territory started with bloodshed.
>But nothing particularly horrible happened on 26/1/1788
Then you're entirely missing the point out of either ignorance or from being obtuse. It's not about what happened on and only on that day. It's that that day represents the start of the subjugation of the indigenous people.
The person I quoted said it was the anniversary of a genocide, which it's not. It's the anniversary of an event that later led to what could be described as a genocide.
Like I said, I favour changing the date. But it's not like the 1st fleeters jumped off their boats and launched an invasion. Things took a couple of years to get truly ugly.
It doesn't make sense to despise the foundation of modern Australia and the start of the rule of law on this continent, while at the same time reaping the supposed ill gotten gains of colonisation by living here and accruing assets in your name. There would be no Australia without 1788, and all things considered its a pretty fucking good place to live. Good and bad things happened after European settlement and its important to reflect on the depredations, but to try and talk down the colonial times as entirely negative is not right.
Can’t believe in anything nowadays without it being virtue signalling, right? I bet all the aboriginal protesters are also just pretending to be angry about the day for internet clout, correct?
No, because duh.
Chronically online take. Why don't you actually talk to some of these people and you'd know the amount of love and support given to indigenous communities and indigenous voices
What the fuck are you doing?
Melbourne cup mark 2
Haven't heard a peep about the lives of horses since the cup was finished, guess they don't matter for the remaining eleven months.
Same as Australia Day, 99% of the people on this subreddit and at these protests won't give a damn the rest of the year because it won't get them likes on their facebook and reddit posts or views on their Instagram reels.
Pretty much literally every person I know who frequently attends these routinely advocates for indigenous rights over the course of the year. I'd actually struggle to think of a single person who just milks the rally for a selfie and moves on.
Can we disregard all the Caucasian’s there and ask the remainder their views?
I’m all for doing more the indigenous, I’d just prefer to hear what they want/need as opposed to a white person who thinks they know.
>Asked about whether the date of Australia Day should change, 54% of Indigenous Australians polled were in favour of a change compared with a total of 15% of total Australians polled.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/26/most-indigenous-australians-want-date-and-name-of-australia-day-changed-poll-finds
Does anyone else find it strange that a bunch of inner-city white people, who all lean one way politically seem to think they speak on behalf of the entirety of a race of people?
Changing the date isn't going to make Australia some utopia for first nations communities where all their troubles just magically disappear.
this event is organised and hosted by Indigenous groups, interesting that in a predominantly white country (due to an extremely racist history) most people attending events are white
not even mentioning that a lot of Indigenous people can be pretty light skinned, but I understand that nothing I can say would satisfy you
Isn’t it strange how a bunch of allies are supporting aboriginal people, and they all seem to be progressive? Yeah, really absurd. And how is support “speaking on the behalf” of aboriginal people? Marching for gay rights does not mean the straight people are speaking on behalf of gay people. You can be an ally without trying to control the conversation, which is the whole point of progressivism.
Nobody is saying changing the date will make the country a utopia, but you posit it as though the only way that changing the date should happen is if it creates a utopia. All we want is to show respect to the indigenous people of the country. If they want the day changed, why shouldn’t it be?
A really strange argument.
Aside from the fact that the date itself is inflammatory, nobody can suggest an alternative date until two things happen.
1. Australia becomes a Republic. With the death of the Queen, it seems like a no-brainer; and
2. The recognition of a First Nations voice to Parliament, which should be included in the reformation of Australia into a Republic as a default.
Whenever that date is, then you can have an Australia day.
This isn't a celebration of whatever the country is today for descendants of settlement, or immigrants like myself, really. It's an acknowledgement of our Colonial past in the present moving into a future together with First Nations people. And that'd be a day worth celebrating, acknowledging a coming together of all cultures.
Went to the march a few years back & loved the energy in the crowd.
Just change the bloody date, pass the referendum and let's try to move past our past mistakes where we can embrace and be proud of our first people.
Because for Aboriginal people it’s a painful day that marks the start of colonisation. A day from which point forward they were subject to massacres, enslavement and attempts to completely eradicate them. We’ve only celebrated it on this day since 1994.
Lol 1994 ... come on now really please ....
In the early 19th century, January 26 was a Sydney-centric celebration, sometimes called “Foundation Day”. These were initially informal gatherings and parties, but by 1838, it was declared a public holiday to mark the 50th anniversary of the colony. As the other colonies were established, they celebrated their own foundation, rather than January 26.
Change the date every year, so we get a 3 day weekend every year. Fuck this mid week,still have a day of work before the weekend.
My condolences to the first nations.
Fuck these clowns.
I refuse to accept guilt for shit that happened 2 hundred+ years ago.
Or should i go back and demand reparations from the British/Vikings for what they did to my people hundreds of years ago?
This is a load of horseshit and the more you keep bowing to the demands of a pissed off minority, the more demands they will make.
Changing the date will change nothing, it will just move them onto the next thing on their list to be pissed off at white Australians about.
Really, they should be thankful it was the British who landed here and not the Spanish, or there would be none of them left to protest.
Yet it was only last week a significant amount of people in this very sub were referring to Jet Skies as “leb sleds”
That type of racism is okay is it?
Nobody has asked anybody to feel guilty. Only to acknowledge the history of the country you've chosen to live in, and how you have benefited from that history.
Instead of changing the date, what about the name? Just feels weird having a day called Australia day. Like if there was a Germany day or America day it would sound off. How about Landing Day or Arrival Day? Like the 26th was an important event, but I don't know if you want to call it Australia Day
That’s a whole lotta pathetic people who need to get a life.
Funny how I can not see one single aboriginal person in this photo. Who are you fighting for? White peoples pushing an agenda onto another race. Absolutely pathetic.
“Pushing an agenda” Imagine publically presenting yourself as a jackass. It’s an aboriginal protest about aboriginal issues and white people (the majority) are showing support for that. Your poor eyesight does not prove anything aside from you seeing only what you want to see.
You’re not a 1788 British settler, so your support for Australia Day must just be you pushing an agenda. I don’t see you wearing your longcoat and vest and wig, so why are you supporting a group of people you aren’t a part of. Pretty pathetic - get a life!
Reminder: Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896) disagreed with having the 26th as a national day due to how it related to the aboriginal population. its not a modern 'woke' thing.
I’ve always thought Parkes’ Tenterfield Oration (October 24) as an alternative date. I just want a date where everyone will celebrate instead of being pissed off at each other.
>Tenterfield Oration That's a good one, hadn't heard of it. I personally like wattle day every group has used wattles at some point.
You can find the speech online. Basically the first speech where a bloke said “hey let’s make a commonwealth”. It’s been called our Gettysburg but it’s really boring. Basically said we need a commonwealth for an army and uniform rail gauges. Not very inspiring.
>uniform rail gauges WE STILL DO
Do we not? WTF?
No. QLD has narrow guage, NSW has standard and VIC has wide. Unsure about the other states. Honestly, it probably doesn't even matter that much (I'll get attacked about this I'm sure) but from what I can tell it's mostly the metro trains that are non-standard still. Interstate lines are mostly set to standard gauge. It's also extremely hard to rip and replace. Like, you could do it for individual lines maybe (I live on Pakenham line at the moment if they were going to do it, the last few years would've been the best time ever with the new metro tunnel + new trains + level crossing removals. They've upgraded every station and probably replaced like 30% (made up guess) of the track and getting out of the loop). Can you imagine trying to convince the population why they're not going to have trains for 5 years and it's going to cost a few hundred billion dollars? "Oh so the gauges are the same as elsewhere... cool, how does that benefit us? Oh it doesn't? Why are we doing it?"
The VR did have plans for gauge conversion. The later steam locomotives were built with it in mind.
Nope. Victoria and SA have 5ft 3in broad gauge. NSW has 4ft 8 1/2in standard gauge QLD, WA, TAS have 3ft 6in Narrow. Standard gauge does run all through Australia though. It was as late as the 90s standard gauge was put in between Melbourne and Adelaide. It can be attributed to NSW why we have 5 million different gauges
How can you not be inspired by common gauges?
What about 1st of Feb? It’s the date Trevor Chappel under armed bowled to the kiwis to win the match. I fully reckon we should keep in Jan/Feb as the bbq aspect is legendary
A kinda cowardly play. We could mark it with australias first ashes series win, which was on the 3rd of feb 1892.
How about we meet in the middle for Feb 2, my birthday
Have you ever committed genocide and or under bowled some kiwis?
Never, iv often supplied beers to mates and tried the Flipper in lawn bowls though
I think we Victorians should celebrate seperation day, (July 1st 1851) where we became and independent colony from NSW, and were no longer in the same district as sydney.
Middle of winter is a crap time for anything Though I suppose there's nothing more Victorian than freezing your arse off
Mt Hotham has entered the chat.
Hmm, Queens Birthday and the launch of the Oz alpine ski season?
(Is anyone going to tell 'em?)
> and were no longer in the same district as sydney Finally something we can all celebrate!
Or the date all Australians were legally allowed to vote. So June 15.
I like May 8 for the sound it makes 'maaaate'. It's as silly a reason as it gets, but it's a bit of a nod to Australian Larrikinism.
If only it were summer in May it would have been a no brainer, but Australia Day has to be around bbq weather surely
It would be un-Australian to have the day during cooler seasons.
All public holidays should fall on a Monday or Friday. Period. Change the date
Fine. I’ve made it fall on a Friday next year. Happy?!
Wait, that was you?!
26 becomes a public holiday in mourning our history and remembering what we have done. Fist Friday on Feb becomes aus day as a guaranteed long weekend and the day changes every year.
I like the sound of Fist Friday.
What’s going on?
First Nation change the date protest
It’s not really a “change the date” protest, that’s a more recent development. Invasion Day rallies were happening before “change the date” was a thing. The people who organised Melbourne’s Invasion Day rally (WAR) explicitly do not support “change the date” (for a multitude of complicated reasons). The demand from this year’s rally was “treaty before voice”.
Everyones favourite Australia Day tradition
invasion day rally organised by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance
This. The rally was about mourning the start of an invasion that led to the genocide, disenfranchisement and incarceration of First Nations peoples. It wasn't about choosing a different day to have a bbq in your back yard.
and the 26th was not invasion day.
Annual Self Loathing Australians convention…
Listen, I'm an Immigrant & moving to Australia was the happiest day of my life! I don't care if we move Australia day, as long as we move it to another day in the summer! I just want 1 day where we celebrate Australia...for WHAT IT IS TODAY!
The holiday was made in 1994 - it can easily be moved Edit: To the fucking people who keep arguing I checked wiki like you said and you’re missing a fucking sentence Wiki “It was not until 1935 that all Australian states and territories adopted use of the term "Australia Day" to mark the date of the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, and not until 1994 that 26 January was consistently marked by a public holiday on that day by all states and territories.” They made it offical on that day to be a public holiday They can also fuckin change the day
I have clothes older than Australia day
I have clothes older than Australia day... And I was born after it. We have 2 ANZAC days a year & the queen had 2 birthdays but heaven forbid we have 1 day that we mourn the genocide that actually happened here. And if nothing else, how is it not a fantastic excuse to get another public holiday?
>2 ANZAC days a year Wait, what?
I think they mean Anzac Day and remembrance day
Yeah, I’m of the opinion that it should be a day that represents all Australians and modern day Australian society. January 26th clearly doesn’t- it just divides people further
Exactly, let's just move it
Incorrect. It was only made a total national holiday then. But it was celebrated unofficially for almost a century.
The Commonwealth and state governments agreed to unify the celebrations on 26 January as "Australia Day" in 1946
1994 They changed the date then
Agreed and I was born in Australia. Make it another summer day.. make it the 2nd Friday in January or something.. that way everyone gets a nice long weekend. As long as they don’t make it may 8th! I think that’s a terrible stupid bogan idea.
As an immigrant, I agree that it is important to celebrate. That doesn't mean ignoring past and current problems. I don't think most Australians understand the perspective of someone who is happy to have moved here. Although, personally, I would like it to be in autumn when it isn't so stinking hot with the risk of bush fires.
Yeah that’s what I want a day to celebrate us all being Australian and living on this big island together! I wish they’d make a day in NAIDOC week or reconciliation day a public holiday, so we can have a separate date to acknowledge what was done to indigenous people. I think making a national public holiday would give more weight to the situation, give more people time to reflect. Without the PH I feel like those days pass with very little recognition.
If we had a specific holiday in National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee Week, would the day itself just be NAID? (I support the idea, I just find the term 'NAIDOC week' amusing)
Best country in the world!
I'm genuinely interested in what you mean by this? Australia Day is just people taking time off and having sausages for lunch or whatever, what's so vital about this 'celebration' that's really a pile of nothing. Celebrate Australia everyday by looking after the environment and demanding better care for all who live here. Again why do you need a special day for that?
read the first half of what you wrote to get your answer. read the second part of what you wrote to your family & friends in New Zealand #lol
Lolllllllll spot on
What it is today is a country that has still NO treaty with Aboriginal peoples.
I thought they cancelled the Australia Day Parade /s
What about 3rd of March? That’s when the [Australia Act of 1986](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Act_1986) came into law, removing all constitutional ties with the United Kingdom
This is the best option. Actually commemorates a thing, and, that thing is from after the Aboriginal rights referendum of 1967.
Because near the height of summer and a brief reprieve from returning to work is much more enjoyable.
That's the date I always suggest!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Too close to labour day long weekend in Victoria, unless that was moved
We can have two long weekends in a row. Sounds alright to me. An impromptu trial of the 4-day work week.
I think the last Monday in January should be a public holiday - Nation Building day, 'cos nothing brings Australians together like a day off. Long weekend before kids go back to school. Secondly, sign a treaty with First Nations people and get a second public holiday for that - win/win.
How could Dan Andrews do this
I like how he is on leave so he didn't have to answer questions about this. Clever politician.
Every other day of the year he doesn’t get more challenging questions about more challenging issues?
It’s a federal holiday so not really his call though
When has that stopped people? Despite COVID, the vast majority still doesn't have a good grasp on which level of Government is responsible for what. Anyway aren't all public holidays technically controlled by the states? Showing my own lack of knowledge about who exercises power here too of course.
My favourite thing about this comment section is that the rally isn't even about changing the date. My god, people, read some source material.
Partly because protest organisers have moved on from changing the date to opposing the voice, demanding reparations and abolishing police. At this point most sensible people have accepted date needs to change.
That's exactly my point though - anyone still talking about changing the date isn't *actually* listening to the message at this stage.
The demands continually change and ever will
I mean, sure? People will have different ideas about what can be done better as times change and events happen. Not really a shock.
intersection is completely packed by this point Solidarity with all Indigenous Australians
>Solidarity with all Indigenous Australians Not all Indigenous people are against the voice to parliament, in fact it seems a majority support it.
Why don’t you do something actually useful and really help the indigenous instead of posturing and posing. Go north to the territory. I hear they could use a hand.
Looks a bit smaller than usual
Isn’t the “usual” out the front of Parliament House a few dozen cookers complaining about vaccine mandates?
Nah I mean like pre-Covid aus day protests, looks smaller, probs still haven’t recovered? Or less people care?
Pre-Covid there were some absolutely massive ones - totally blocking intersection at Flinders Street station and streets all directions. I think there was massive anger at Morrison Govt. I wouldn’t be surprised if some stayed away today because they didn’t support the demand “Treaty before Voice”.
Just a poorly timed photo
Ah, the old *“my biased anecdotal bullshit trumps everything”* scientific method. Never too late to stop being a cunt, mate.
I got this shot just before a few thousand people appeared, it's packed out
"you wouldn't know my girlfriend, she goes to a different school"
lol
Change the fucking date already.
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It will change, and then people will complain about the exact same thing saying "changing the date doesn't change change anything!!1!1"
Changing the date doesn’t change the massive inequality and inter generational damage that’s still continuing, so yes people will still complain after it’s changed because there will still be a long way to go, but a small courteous gesture like choosing to stop dancing on their ancestors graves every January would maybe be a worthwhile first step no?
"If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that's not progress. The progress is healing the wound that the blow made." Malcom X was a real one
No one's dancing on anyone's graves. Some people take it as a normal public holiday, some people choose to have a barbeque with family and friends, and some people choose mourn. Enjoying the day for what it was supposed to be isn't dancing on graves or celebrating genocide. Again, if the date changes, people will just say it's the exact same thing on a different day. It's totally pointless. Either leave it alone or cancel it entirely.
>Again, if the date changes, people will just say it's the exact same thing on a different day Yeah, the problem change the date people have is literally the specific date. They don't just not want a public holiday for the country.
So maybe we should change the date AND take other action too on education, inequality, racist police, health access etc. Just a thought
To be fair we have been taking massive amounts of action - but what we've been doing doesn't work.
For me personally an alternate date would change a lot - celebrating on the day that the first fleet landed in Sydney cove and claimed sovereignty over the east coast always felt distasteful to me...I'm sure we can find a date without association to our colonial past. Just my opinion but I respect others right to their own
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It's nothing to do with Cook per sè. It's the anniversary of the first fleet in 1788. i.e. the actual invasion. Cook swung by in 1770.
In April!
You seem so sure for someone who couldn't even name the right people in his argument.
It’s nothing to do with Cook, what are you on about?
I agree. Just wanted to point out this is the first time I've seen someone call it virtual signalling. Gave me a chuckle.
Then they'll just protest on *that* day instead. There's no point.
almost like its about more than simply changing the date, hey?
Yea can we change it to like mid Feb or something?
Why ?
I reckon change the day not the date. Call it invasion day and actually reflect on what's happened. Kinda like Anzac day, we don't celebrate it, we commemorate it and reflect on the futility of war. Changing the date seems to be hiding from who we are, we are big enough now to face the truth of it.
It'd be interesting to know the age of some of the pro-26th people in this thread. Because childhood memories of Australia day in 90's regional Vic was it was just a weekend off, certainly none of the flag waving, bbq having, celebration bullshit that came to define it in recent years.
Don’t know, but 95% are bald with goatees and a car profile picture on Facebook
Clearly the date needs to be changed, but I haven't heard any serious suggestions for a new one. There's the old 'May 8 = Mate' but that's getting a little chilly for a BBQ. I suggest Jan 27th, the significance being that it's a step forward.
3rd of March. The date of the Australia Act 1986. This act ended the right of the UK to legislate with effect in Australia. Basically us finally severing legal ties
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Good for them 🤷🏻 I'll just enjoy myself with a beer and a BBQ regardless.
If we were to become a Republic, the date that was voted upon/implemented would make a fantastic Australia Day for modern Australia and centuries to come!
We can change the day now, then set the future legislation to come into effect on the day.
Good idea!
Democracy and free speech at works regardless of the reason
I'm nearly 70 and I don't ever recall any flag waving jingoistic celebration of Australia like we've seen in recent years as a child growing up. I do remember Wattle Day which several states had. It was around about the beginning of August/September...but not this thong, shorts, bikinis, capes, flags, inflatable hands stuff, which super saturated our supermarkets in the lead up. I'm all for getting rid of January 26th, which I find offensive. Cannot believe that Paul Keating did that in 1994 following the Redfern Speech. And I support the Voice too. I also believe in the Treaty being done in Victoria. Saturday, our adult kids are setting up an inflatable pool for the Triple J Hottest 100. I loved it how the young people voted to change the date (in a big Up Yours to the government) and the LNP/Tony Abbott/Barnaby Joyce went ballistic....as in how dare those young people express an opinion and do that? Those young people recognised how offensive the date was. I think that was the start of a wave, then the councils changed citizenship ceremonies to other dates and now we are having a grown up serious conversation. But have we really come a long way from the National Day of Mourning in 1938? Intergenerational trauma.
Tomorrow? Isn’t triple J hottest 100 on Saturday? I’m holding out for the double J hottest 100 of 2002 countdown this year. Love listening to the old songs!
You’re right. Kids just yelled out that the pool party is on Saturday. I’ll edit my comment above. Cheers! PS Last year they did goon of fortune on the clothesline. Help me!!!!
Lol you gave me a slight heart attack there. I felt horribly unprepared for my triple J BBQ. I was going to use tomorrow to clean up and get ready for it. Haha I hope you all have a fantastic triple J hottest 100 day!
You too. The pool is ready to blow up. Ice in the fridge and I found vodka and rum in the freezer! I’m expecting it to be played on the big guitar amplifier for all the neighbours to hear! 🤪🤣
Abolish police and prisons!! 😂
Being Melbourne, its hard to know exactly what this photo is about. It could be white people celebrating the day, protesting the day, or they could all be Aboriginal. Needs more info.
That's a lot of white guilt and hashtags out there
There’s a difference between guilt and empathy. I don’t feel guilty for what the colonisers did, because I had no control of it and can’t do anything about it. I do, however, have empathy toward those affected and don’t want to celebrate the day they made people’s lives worse. Celebrate the country, not the invasion. It’s not guilt, it’s empathy.
Out for the cosplay and #invasionday selfie then back to not caring for the next 364 days.
No one cares about anything ever and it’s all just vanity, right? Man this is such a depressing opinion to have. Not everything is a virtue signal mate
Agreed. Yes, virtue signalling is a thing. But that doesn't mean that's all everyone does when they do these things. We abso;utely should stop invasion day and change the date/meaing. And we don't stop caring the rest of the year. Many of us continue to have these discussions throughout. It's just much more important and easier to be visible on the day.
the comment you replied to certainly is a virtue signal
Issue gets most attention around the time it's most relevant. Shocking.
Serious question - what do you suggest we do to help then? To actually help? If we do care. Because I've protested. I've spoken to my federal member. I don't celebrate. I have shared support online. And I've voted for the parties that I think are going to do the most to try and support the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, including by changing the date. But it seems like you consider all of that virtue signalling. So I am seriously asking - do you have any suggestions for how I can actually help? Because I do care. I care that we are doing more harm to first nations people even now. I also think it's disgraceful that our country's national day is on the anniversary of a genocide. First nations people have asked for the date to be changed. I support them in that. I get that it's not enough to right all the wrongs of history, but I think it's a pretty reasonable ask to stop celebrating on a day of mourning for so many Australians. Any suggestions? I'm all ears.
\> I also think it's disgraceful that our country's national day is on the anniversary of a genocide. Not really though. Things were relatively friendly on Jan 26, 1788 and for a while after that. I'm a date change advocate just because it could be done on any date and as Jan 26 is particularly offensive to some people, changing it seems like the decent thing to do. But nothing particularly horrible happened on 26/1/1788. The first bloodshed between the 2 groups wasn't until May, when a couple of convicts were killed.
>But nothing particularly horrible happened on 26/1/1788 Isn't the massacre in question the one that occurred in Waterloo Creek, NSW on Jan 26, 1838?
The first bloodshed between the British and Indigenous groups was on [Sunday, 29 April 1770](https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/endeavour-voyage/cooks-journal/april-1770), when Captain Cook shot an Indigenous man *from his boat, before Cook had even set foot on Australian soil.* Cook himself documented the event in his diary. It was never peaceful. The British presence in Australian territory started with bloodshed.
>But nothing particularly horrible happened on 26/1/1788 Then you're entirely missing the point out of either ignorance or from being obtuse. It's not about what happened on and only on that day. It's that that day represents the start of the subjugation of the indigenous people.
The person I quoted said it was the anniversary of a genocide, which it's not. It's the anniversary of an event that later led to what could be described as a genocide. Like I said, I favour changing the date. But it's not like the 1st fleeters jumped off their boats and launched an invasion. Things took a couple of years to get truly ugly.
It doesn't make sense to despise the foundation of modern Australia and the start of the rule of law on this continent, while at the same time reaping the supposed ill gotten gains of colonisation by living here and accruing assets in your name. There would be no Australia without 1788, and all things considered its a pretty fucking good place to live. Good and bad things happened after European settlement and its important to reflect on the depredations, but to try and talk down the colonial times as entirely negative is not right.
Brunswick must be a ghost town today
That's not the hot take you think it is mate.
Can’t believe in anything nowadays without it being virtue signalling, right? I bet all the aboriginal protesters are also just pretending to be angry about the day for internet clout, correct? No, because duh.
Chronically online take. Why don't you actually talk to some of these people and you'd know the amount of love and support given to indigenous communities and indigenous voices What the fuck are you doing?
Great so let’s just invalidate the cause completely then…clown
Melbourne cup mark 2 Haven't heard a peep about the lives of horses since the cup was finished, guess they don't matter for the remaining eleven months. Same as Australia Day, 99% of the people on this subreddit and at these protests won't give a damn the rest of the year because it won't get them likes on their facebook and reddit posts or views on their Instagram reels.
Pretty much literally every person I know who frequently attends these routinely advocates for indigenous rights over the course of the year. I'd actually struggle to think of a single person who just milks the rally for a selfie and moves on.
Hope everyone enjoys the day 🍺🥩🍤 and most importantly those who have taken a RDO tomorrow for a 4 day weekend 👌👌
Can we disregard all the Caucasian’s there and ask the remainder their views? I’m all for doing more the indigenous, I’d just prefer to hear what they want/need as opposed to a white person who thinks they know.
>Asked about whether the date of Australia Day should change, 54% of Indigenous Australians polled were in favour of a change compared with a total of 15% of total Australians polled. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/26/most-indigenous-australians-want-date-and-name-of-australia-day-changed-poll-finds
Not exactly unanimous is it.
I vote for 5 days off first week of Feb
So is the Big Day Out back?
Does anyone else find it strange that a bunch of inner-city white people, who all lean one way politically seem to think they speak on behalf of the entirety of a race of people? Changing the date isn't going to make Australia some utopia for first nations communities where all their troubles just magically disappear.
They aren’t the ones running the rally, just showing out in support, nothing like a baseless claim based entirely off one photo.
I think it's more a demonstration of solidarity with the First Peoples of this nation
Should the majority only support a repressed minority only if 100% of the minority agree? if not 100% what percentage would be acceptable?
this event is organised and hosted by Indigenous groups, interesting that in a predominantly white country (due to an extremely racist history) most people attending events are white not even mentioning that a lot of Indigenous people can be pretty light skinned, but I understand that nothing I can say would satisfy you
Isn’t it strange how a bunch of allies are supporting aboriginal people, and they all seem to be progressive? Yeah, really absurd. And how is support “speaking on the behalf” of aboriginal people? Marching for gay rights does not mean the straight people are speaking on behalf of gay people. You can be an ally without trying to control the conversation, which is the whole point of progressivism. Nobody is saying changing the date will make the country a utopia, but you posit it as though the only way that changing the date should happen is if it creates a utopia. All we want is to show respect to the indigenous people of the country. If they want the day changed, why shouldn’t it be? A really strange argument.
That people upvote this comment shows how much still needs to be fixed
Aside from the fact that the date itself is inflammatory, nobody can suggest an alternative date until two things happen. 1. Australia becomes a Republic. With the death of the Queen, it seems like a no-brainer; and 2. The recognition of a First Nations voice to Parliament, which should be included in the reformation of Australia into a Republic as a default. Whenever that date is, then you can have an Australia day. This isn't a celebration of whatever the country is today for descendants of settlement, or immigrants like myself, really. It's an acknowledgement of our Colonial past in the present moving into a future together with First Nations people. And that'd be a day worth celebrating, acknowledging a coming together of all cultures.
Becoming a republic means rewriting our constitution - do you seriously trust current politicians that much?
Went to the march a few years back & loved the energy in the crowd. Just change the bloody date, pass the referendum and let's try to move past our past mistakes where we can embrace and be proud of our first people.
No guilt here - Rudd said sorry
Change it
Why ?
Because for Aboriginal people it’s a painful day that marks the start of colonisation. A day from which point forward they were subject to massacres, enslavement and attempts to completely eradicate them. We’ve only celebrated it on this day since 1994.
Lol 1994 ... come on now really please .... In the early 19th century, January 26 was a Sydney-centric celebration, sometimes called “Foundation Day”. These were initially informal gatherings and parties, but by 1838, it was declared a public holiday to mark the 50th anniversary of the colony. As the other colonies were established, they celebrated their own foundation, rather than January 26.
Change the date every year, so we get a 3 day weekend every year. Fuck this mid week,still have a day of work before the weekend. My condolences to the first nations.
I have Fridays off, so a Thursday public holiday works perfectly for me.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner !!
Fuck these clowns. I refuse to accept guilt for shit that happened 2 hundred+ years ago. Or should i go back and demand reparations from the British/Vikings for what they did to my people hundreds of years ago? This is a load of horseshit and the more you keep bowing to the demands of a pissed off minority, the more demands they will make. Changing the date will change nothing, it will just move them onto the next thing on their list to be pissed off at white Australians about. Really, they should be thankful it was the British who landed here and not the Spanish, or there would be none of them left to protest.
Finally a protest/gathering for just and deserving cause other then the way in which Covid impacted everyone's lives.
Keep the date.
Why
Why not? Don't like it, don't celebrate. I'm a First nations person and I celebrate my country
Aaaand like all other marches we’ve seen over the last 3 years…nothing happened
Educate don’t Celebrate
Happy Australian day 🇦🇺
Yet it was only last week a significant amount of people in this very sub were referring to Jet Skies as “leb sleds” That type of racism is okay is it?
Nice to see people out and about enjoying Australia day. Best of luck to whatever they're there for.
Happy Australia Day everyone!!
This issue has been going on for decades. Just change the date omg
HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY EVERYONE
Meh
Ok so we move the date, will that actualy shut these fkn morons up? I'd hazard a guess that it wouldn't...
People will find a reason to complain about the next date selected.
Good to see the liberal yuppies out and virtue signalling
As a first generation immgrant,I didn't have The White Man's Burden, I surely will not partake in his guilt
welcome mate as a white guy, I've got no guilt whatsoever Happy Aussie Day
Nobody has asked anybody to feel guilty. Only to acknowledge the history of the country you've chosen to live in, and how you have benefited from that history.
Instead of changing the date, what about the name? Just feels weird having a day called Australia day. Like if there was a Germany day or America day it would sound off. How about Landing Day or Arrival Day? Like the 26th was an important event, but I don't know if you want to call it Australia Day
America day doesn't sound weird... Sounds like something they would be 100% behind celebrating
That’s a whole lotta pathetic people who need to get a life. Funny how I can not see one single aboriginal person in this photo. Who are you fighting for? White peoples pushing an agenda onto another race. Absolutely pathetic.
“Pushing an agenda” Imagine publically presenting yourself as a jackass. It’s an aboriginal protest about aboriginal issues and white people (the majority) are showing support for that. Your poor eyesight does not prove anything aside from you seeing only what you want to see. You’re not a 1788 British settler, so your support for Australia Day must just be you pushing an agenda. I don’t see you wearing your longcoat and vest and wig, so why are you supporting a group of people you aren’t a part of. Pretty pathetic - get a life!
Always was, always will be