Next week the country “celebrates” Australia Day. The divisions and controversies surrounding the date of this celebration are growing ever more intense.
This year, in addition to the municipalities that have decided not to hold citizenship ceremonies, as they are now allowed by law to do so, large chain stores have been added to the list of ‘objectors’, refusing to sell products for this celebration.
Beyond the initial reactions of Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor to Woolworths’ decision not to sell Australia Day-related products, the highlight of the reactions came with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s call for a boycott of Woolworths stores.
And the Prime Minister refrained from commenting on Woolworths’ decision, contenting himself with stating that “our main objective is to make sure that supermarkets do the right thing at the checkout”.
Those who oppose the celebration of this national holiday on January 26th claim that we are actually celebrating the “day of the invasion” of the indigenous country by the British as it marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, NSW. and the raising of the flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip (1788). For the record, the official establishment of the Colony of New South Wales occurred on 7 February 1788, while the enshrinement of all the land under the reigning monarch King George III also dates from 7 February 1788.
Those who advocate the celebration of this national holiday on this day speak of the “unity” of the Australian people. From the statements of Mr. Dutton and Taylor one can see the attempt to distance this celebration from the events of 1788.
However, to suggest that those who oppose the use of this date are “dividing” the country may be a “far-fetched conclusion”, as no one wants a day of the year not to be celebrated as “Australia Day”, but simply to be celebrated on some other date.
It is therefore becoming increasingly apparent that it is the date in question that divides the Australian people, not the lack of consent or intention by sections of the Australian people to celebrate our common identity.
Perhaps the time is approaching for all sides to get their heads together and find a solution that will lead to a truly unifying celebration of an identity that reflects the real elements that make up what is now ‘Australian’.
