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Fair enough 58...but you'd also know I'm not a bleeding heart liberal but can understand the angst of some when you consider we're celebrating Australia Day on the date white military, convicts and settlers arrived for the first time. It does smack of arrogance on our part and no recognition of the fact there were others here before us. I think the date is the problem not the celebration as such. Move the date and it all goes away.

Probably the most balanced view on moving Australia Day comes from Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt who DOES NOT support changing the date until we become a Republic and he believes that day should be called Australia Day. The day we break away from the British Empire, I think is a great idea. In effect when we separate ourselves from the British Empire will allow everyone to come together instead of celebrating the day the white man settled on Australian soil.

This is what Ken Wyatt said 3 years ago.

www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ken-wyat...20180118-h0k2nj.html

A mate sent me this and I haven’t bothered to verify it. It could be a crock of...but if there’s any truth in it, we all look a bit silly.

ORIGIN OF AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS ON 26 JANUARY
Just a reminder of the history of Australia Day on the 26th January. Amazing how many of us do not know this. Particularly the younger generation.
Hi, this synopsis highlights the lack of knowledge of the origin of "Australia Day" being celebrated on the "26 January" each Year.
Writer's quote: " I have fact-checked this very good synopsis of the facts that appear to have disappeared over the years of selective education….

Facts about Australia Day
Our Education system is not competently advising our children !!
Don't expect the media to educate you that's not part of their agenda. Australia Day does not celebrate the arrival of the first fleet or the invasion of anything.
Captain Cook did not arrive in Australia on the 26th of January. The Landing of Captain Cook in Sydney happened on the 28th of April 1770 - not on the 26th of January 1770.
The First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on the 18th of January. The 26th was chosen as Australia Day for a different reason; however, Captain Cook's landing was included in Australia Day celebrations as a reminder of a significant historical event.
Since the extravagant bicentenary celebrations of 1988, when Sydney siders decided Captain Cook's landing should become the focus of the Australia Day commemoration, the importance of this date for all Australians has begun to fade.
Now, a generation later, it's all but lost.

This is because our politicians and educators have not been doing a good job promoting the day. Our politicians have not been advertising the real reason for Australia Day, and our educators have not been teaching our children the importance of the 26th of January to all Australians.
The media, as usual, is happy to twist the truth for the sake of controversy.
In recent years, the media has helped fan the flames of discontent among the Aboriginal community Many are now so offended by what they see as a celebration of the beginning of the darkest days of Aboriginal history, they want the date changed.

Various local Councils are seeking to remove themselves from Australia Day celebrations, even refusing to participate in citizenship ceremonies, and calls are going out to have Australia Day on a different day.

The big question is, why has the Government allowed this misconception to continue?
Captain Cook didn't land on the 26th of January. So changing the date of any celebration of Captain Cook's landing would not have any impact on Australia Day, but maybe it would clear the way for the truth about Australia Day.

The reality is, the Aborigines in this country suffered terribly under the hands of British colonialism. This is as much Australia's history as the landing of the first fleet, and both should be remembered, equally. Both should be taught, side by side, in our schools.
Australians of today abhor what was done under British governance to the Aborigines. We abhor what was done under British governance to the Irish and many other cultures around the world. So, after the horrors of WWII, we decided to fix it. We became our own people.
On the 26th of January 1949, the Australian nationality came into existence when the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 was enacted. That was the day we were first called Australians and allowed to travel with Passports as Australians.

Under the Nationality Act 1920 (Cth), all Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders born after January 1, 1921, gained the status of British subjects. In 1949, therefore, they automatically became Australian citizens under the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948.
Before that special date, all people living in Australia, including Aborigines born after 1921, were called 'British Subjects' and forced to travel on British Passports and fight in British wars.
We all became Australians on the same day!
This is why we celebrate Australia Day on the 26th of January!

This was the day Australians became free to make our own decisions about which wars we would fight and how our citizens would be treated. It was the day Aborigines were declared Australians.
Until this date, Aborigines were not protected by law. For the first time since Cook's landing, this new Act gave Aboriginal Australians by inference and precedent the full protection of Australian law.
Because of this Act, the government became free to help Aborigines, and since that day much has been done to assist Aboriginal Australians, including saying 'sorry' for the previous atrocities done before this law came into being.
This was a great day for all Australians!

This is why the 26th of January is the day new Australians receive their citizenship. It is a day which celebrates the implementation of the Nationality and Citizenship Act of 1948 - the Act which gave freedom and protection to the first Australians and gives all Australians, old and new, the right to live under the protection of Australian Law, united as one nation.
Now, isn't that cause for celebration?

Education is key! There is a great need for education on the real reason we celebrate Australia Day on the 26th of January. This reason needs to be advertised and taught in schools. We all need to remember this one very special day in Australia's history, when freedom came to all Australians.

What was achieved that day is something for which all Australians can be proud!

We need to remember both the good and the bad in our history, but the emphasis must be the freedom and unity all Australians now have, because of what was done on the 26th of January 1949, to allow all of us to live without fear in a land of peace.
Isn't it time all Australians were taught the real reason we celebrate Australia Day on Jan 26th?

Ray Payne OAM"

It will never fly 58. Thought out and rational.

That sounds like a crock of shit to me 58.

An extract from Uni of Melbourne text. Clearly that was the date Phillip planted a flag and declared the country for Britain.

"On 26 January 1788, all eleven ships of the First Fleet had safely arrived in Port Jackson. Meanwhile, while waiting for the others to arrive, Phillip and a small party from the Supply had rowed ashore and planted a Union Jack, marking the beginning of European settlement in Australia."

...and from Wikipedia.

"On 26 January 1788, the Fleet weighed anchor and sailed to Port Jackson. The site selected for the anchorage had deep water close to the shore, was sheltered, and had a small stream flowing into it. Phillip named it Sydney Cove, after Lord Sydney the British Home Secretary. This date is celebrated as Australia Day, marking the beginning of British settlement. The British flag was planted and formal possession taken. This was done by Phillip and some officers and marines from Supply, with the remainder of Supply's crew and the convicts observing from on board ship. The remaining ships of the Fleet did not arrive at Sydney Cove until later that day."

Plus Australia Day was celebrated well before the Nationality and Citizens Act of 1948.

"In 1838, 50 years after the First Fleet arrived, Foundation Day was declared Australia's first public holiday in New South Wales. By 1935, January 26 was known as Australia Day in all states except New South Wales, where it was still called Anniversary Day."

Fair enough. As I said, I hadn’t bothered to check the validity.

I like the NT’s senator’s take on it though.
“The debate surrounding Australia Day has reached "frenzied" new levels according to Northern Territory senator Malarndirri McCarthy, who believes the date should remain the same but the day should acknowledge the nation's Indigenous past.”

Well now it’s just getting out of hand, ABC staff have been granted permission to refer to it as Invasion Day. What a fucken disgrace if I start hearing that I’ll switch the fucken thing off and write to them. Who the hell do they think they are? They are very well paid to do a job, not use their job to force their political views on us. Morrison better stand up on this and pull Ita Buttrose into line.

Yep I agree DD. That sort of language from the national broadcaster is not helpful and is in fact divisive. What we need is a rational conversation where views can be expressed from both sides and grown ups to make a decision. Now whether that's a binding plebiscite, a review in 5 years time to see if attitudes have changed or the government to come out and say, no it's not changing as it is what it is and if Labor/Greens want to change the date then get elected and form government. I particularly don't care either way as it doesn't impact on me whatever the date, but that sort of crap from the ABC doesn't wash imo as they're supposed to be apolitical.

What language is helpful to the disparate groups involved in the issue.
Me I don't give a, but it is an issue for so many as illustrated on here.

As for the ABC they're are in business of staying within what seems to be the court of public opinion and Appeasement tribunal. They are wrong no matter what the say and all they are really saying is use whatever term suits your piece. So if it is down the appeasement path its is what the 3% and their followers want Invasion day and if it is down DD's and his pathway then Australia day or whatever suits.

Seems to me that perhaps we should do away with it and the state days and just have an independence day, trouble is that is 1 January so perhaps another day is a good one, someone, mentioned 28 April.

Definitely agree with you there DD. I’ll be putting the mighty pen to paper and sending it in.