Have you ever thought of the history of the new Australia you live in today? In history, we learn about the World's most catastrophic and memorable events; the eradication of Jews in WW2, the ongoing controversy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the revolt against the French nobility during the French Revolution; BUT have you ever wondered about the history behind this 'Great' nation? Have you, Generation Z, ever been aware of the horrors that was the impetus behind our national holiday of Australia Day? Have you ever wondered what it is you're really celebrating?
Good morning and welcome to today's event, discussing why the date of Australia Day should be changed.
The date of the national holiday of Australia Day should be changed, as Invasion Day should not be celebrated. This is due to the lack of unity and promotion of division instituted by the national holiday, the sector of society who strongly oppose to the invasion being celebrated, and the celebration of white colonialism without any acknowledgment of the Indigenous footprint.
As Australians, in the land of the fair go, we all pride ourselves of the diversity within our nation, and the unified state we call home. The progressive state where all cultures are respected, where the sun is always shining, the patriotism that fills the streets whereby social justice is praised by all. This is the Australia we strive to be – this is the Australia Day we think we're celebrating. However, this is only a partial understanding of the history behind this date.
From the beginning, there has always been a division between the celebratory white colonists and the distraught families of the Indigenous peoples. On 26 January 1839, a group of mounted police officers, led by the government of colonial Australia, brutally slaughtered over 50 Aboriginal peoples of the Kamilaroi camp, at Waterloo Creek in New South Wales. Almost 500km away, during the sadistic massacre, a celebratory regatta marked the colony's jubilee, for the 50th anniversary of the planting of the Union Jack. This horrific celebration continues to be celebrated under the derogatory title of "Australia Day", named by the colonial government. Almost one hundred years later after the massacre, on "Australia Day", led by the Aborigines Progressive Association, a group of around 100 mostly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, protested against celebrating this immensely horrific date, calling for equal rights. During the protest, the city of Sydney greeted ships on the harbour, to mark the sesquicentenary of British colonisation. Members of the Australian Government have openly disregarded the cries of the Aboriginal people, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declaring himself "disappointed in anyone who support shifting the nation holiday". Turnbull further stated that the campaign towards changing the national holiday "would take a day that unites Australia and Australians and turn it into one that would divide". This statement is especially untrue, as the stance of the date has been divisive since the first celebration of white colonialism. To claim that date as a day of unity it to remember the regatta and not the many merciless massacres, to commemorate the official colonial celebrations and disregard the protests that took place alongside them.
26 January is not a celebratory date for all of Australia, as the Indigenous Australians and other effected Australians, strongly oppose to the invasion being celebrated. To celebrate the establishment of modern Australia, whilst members of a discriminated society relish in the torment and anguish of what this date further signifies is an unscrupulous and unethical issue that must be resolved. Whether it be a minority, or a majority, a sector of this nation struggles with celebrating this date with the ignorant attitude that many people celebrate – disregarding and denying history. We can't undo history but the naming and the celebrating of us as a unified nation – the 26th is definitely not that that day. In a survey conducted, 83% supported changing the date, with 50% of those supporters claiming it was important for reconciliation.
The celebration of this national holiday is through the lens of white colonists – so to celebrate the Australia Day would be to merely commemorate white colonisation, and to completely disregard the hardships and injustice of the Aboriginal people. When we talk about Australia's rich history, why is only one side of the story being told? The generalised trademarks that we can recall – a tattoo of the Union Jack, commemoration Federation Day, the typical XXXX beer symbolising the "Sunshine State" – these are all the common trademarks that our generation remember on Australia Day, not our Aboriginal culture. When a country's constitution was once based on the idea of terra nullius – "no man's land" – colonialism should not be celebrated on the very day where these injustices were practiced.
If we want to appreciate modern Australia, we need to appreciative and be aware of the history before, during and after. If we want to recognise sovereignty and move forward towards an agreement, we need to acknowledge the owners of the land in which we are standing on today. If we want to institute fair play into our future, and want our children to practice justice, we need to recognise the injustices that occurred before us. We are the generation that can make a difference. We need to start making differences.