//Toni, I think it's probably more like what ttbn says, it wasn't as 'in your face' back then, as it is today.//

But it was the 'communists' in the Hawke Labor government who moved the date back in '88. I'd have thought that would have gotten right up your nose.

//It's like the queers back then (30 years ago), we knew they were around but were never 'in your face', so they were left alone or ignored.//

ALTRAV, again a bit of your revising of history. No gay bashing's and murders in 1988. Just like your forgetfulness on Toni's question. Then there is the absurdity about Indigenous people being so much better off under British rule. Post 26th January 1788, thousands of aboriginals died of European diseases or were starved, poisoned or shot.

ALTRAV,

Each to his own. I must admit that enjoy your no holds barred responses.

Paul, I can't comment on things that went on in 88', either because it was not 'in your face' or I was too busy 'building an empire'.
As for your trying to 'guilt trip' or 'virtue shame' me, it doesn't work with me.
Now to correct you.
If you are implying that the Poms did a culling program by 'intentionally' bating/spreading diseases which the abo's had no immunity to, then you should be ashamed of yourself to suggest such a thing.
So I don't believe you mean that.
What I think you mean is that the Poms brought their illnesses with them, and unfortunately, through no fault of their own and because the abo's had never been exposed to these illnesses before, they were not immune to them and naturally suffered the consequences.
No one set about to inflict the kind of genocide you and your mates imply or want everyone to believe.
Now as for YOUR absurd comment on trying to imply that the abo's have suffered since the 'white fella' settled here.
If your actually serious, you would be the most arrogant, ignorant, ungrateful so and so alive.
If you are an abo, shame on you.
The 'white fella' could not throw any more money at you if he tried, and I mean goods and services as well, as that equates to money as well.
Paul, watch your mouth because the bulk of Aussies are sick and tired of your kind of ungrateful rantings and accusations.
Instead of speaking through your other orifice, how about you actually look into how much the 'white fella' has done for the abo's.
Your continual BSing about how 'hard' they've had it is well overdue for binning, as we no longer care to hear it and in fact we are starting to think of retracting some of those benefits.
My solution to your perceived/implied problem, is to let the abo's go back to their beloved bush, they claim to be 'as one' with.
And because all that the 'white fella' has done has caused them pain and suffering, we don't want that.

//I can't comment on things that went on in 88', either because it was not 'in your face'//

Which I would take as an indicator that there were even fewer people asking that the date be changed in 1988. So despite the fact that hardly anybody wanted the date changed, the Labor government went ahead and changed it anyway, purely in the interests of progress. And despite your generally conservative views, you're fine with that bit of undemocratic progressivism.

In which case, I have to ask: would it really bother you that much if the incoming Labor government undemocratically switched it back to what it was, in the interests of tradition? And if so, why? Because I cannot, for the life of me, fathom why conservatives who are generally so in favour of the good old days and winding the clock back to about 1950, are adamant that we all embrace a Johnny-come-lately, Labor-endorsed, pro-multiculturalism, smoking-ceremony and welcome-to-country, vision of Australia day. It's weird.

we have a 'sorry' day, we had a national apology, loads of cash handed out. Is anyone stupid enough to believe changing Jan 26 would make any difference?