Australia Day is just around the corner - and every year
the topic comes up for changing the date. And I'm sure
that the same controversy will again arise this year
with demonstrations as usual.

The Prime Minister has said that he has no plans to change
the date. His first priority is the Referendum for The Voice
to Parliament.

I'm curious as to what posters on OLO think? And if they
advocate for change to what date should the day be changed?

My personal feelings are - if we're going to change the date
lets become a Republic first. Otherwise what's the point?
And once that's done - the day we become a Republic would
be an appropriate date to celebrate our "Australia Day."

What are your thoughts?

WTF?

Hello Foxy,

Oh yes it's that time of year again.

When the question about Australia Day comes up I usually grab the pop corn and sit back and watch.

The idea that it might change seems to whip some people into a frenzy.

Oh course we know that for many Indigenous people the day has a completely different meaning.

Discussions around the reasons for that seems to further infuriate some into an apoplectic state.

I think you are right about becoming a republic. When that happens I'm sure the date will change too.

Hi WTF?

We've celebrated January 26th for as long as I can
remember. It was a public holiday
And I never really gave it much thought
to be honest. It's only when the demonstrations
began around the country that attention was drawn
to what the day reflected for the Indigenous people
of this country.

I guess that the controversy of this date will continue
for some time yet.

Of course, changing the facts of History is what Marxist do. That was the day Australia was settled by a modern society of its time. Changing the day will not be acceptable to the protesters, they want to deny the rights of settler's occupation of land. Understand protest signs stating, "Always was and always will be aboriginal land." For these no date of settlement will be recognized.

Hi Foxy,

As an Australian with an affinity for Indigenous people, the observance of 26th January as the day for all Australians to embrace as the national day of nationhood is hypocritical. The day is the anniversary of the British invasion of the occupied continent. 26the January 1788 was the day of the beginning of dispossession and genocide for the First Australians. If that day of British occupation is a cause for celebration for some, then for those survivors of over two centuries of colonialism, which subjected their forebears to the inhumanity of colonisation, there is nothing for them to celebrate today. Maybe they should celebrate the fact they are still here, despite the colonisers best efforts to make it not so!

Not change - cancel!