"What is Australia Day?"

What I believe "Australia Day" is.

I am a proud Australian and I want to recognise and celebrate being Australian. I want a day where people can celebrate – have citizenship ceremonies, celebrate everything that is great about Australia.

Division

There are significant discussions about the date, 26 January and what it means to people. There are many Australians who do not support the date and many that do. For too long we have focused on an unknown change. It is time that we refocus the discussion to determine what is “Australia Day”.

Change of approach needed

Instead of saying we want or do not want change, let us do a business case for what change does or does not look like.

Current

We currently celebrate the day in which New South Wales was foundered – Sydney’s birthday – which is not Australia day in my view, but foundation day for New South Wales.

The term “Australia” was not used until the 1820’s.

·???????? Tasmania known as Van Diemen’s Land was settled in 1803 and granted self- government in 1856.

·???????? Melbourne was not a town the mid 1830’s.

·???????? The first settlement in WA did not occur until May 1829.

·???????? Queensland was not established until 6 June 1859.

·???????? South Australia was established as a free settlement in 1836.

·???????? Northern Territory was not formally established until 1911, before that was part of South Australia and New South Wales. Settlement started in 1824 and briefly in 1846 was the Colony of Northern Australia.

Proposed

Australia was formally declared an independent country by an act of parliament on the 9th of July 1900 and came into effect on 01 January 1901.

I argue that Australia became a nation on 09 July 1900 when the Constitution of Australia was approved. This is why I propose that 09 July should be the date we celebrate “Australia Day”.

Evidence to support this change

Celebrating a national day when a nation was formed is not unprecedented.

·???????? The 4th of July is the date that the USA celebrates as they day they separated from English colonial rule (Independence Day).

·???????? 14 August is the date that Pakistan celebrates becoming their nation – which has nothing to do with English settlement – but their independence as a nation.

·???????? 26 January is the date celebrated in India as the day they became an independent nation – again, not celebrating the colonisation by the British.

·???????? In Canada, they celebrate the formation of the dominion of North American British colonies – forming Canada on 01 July 1867 – their national day.

First Nations Day

I also want to see a National Day that we celebrate of First Nations history and culture.

The concept of a First Nations Day is not unprecedented. Actually, it is arguable that the absence of this day shows how far behind Australia is in this area against the rest of the world.

·???????? In Canada, Indigenous First People’s Day is celebrated on 21 June each year (which is their summer equinox) and has been celebrated since 1967.

·???????? Indigenous Americans day is celebrated on the second Monday of October and has been celebrated since 2014.

·???????? New Zealand celebrates Waitangi Day on 06 February each year.

Proposal

Our First Nations Day, I would propose be on the Australian Spring Equinox being 22nd or 23rd of September each year.

The reason for this day is that it reflects the changing of the season, which is significant for connection to country, as weather has, and always will play a significant role on country.

Reconciliation and Truth Day

This is not a new concept internationally.

Canada similarly celebrates this day. This day is dedicated to the reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians.

Proposal

I suggest celebrating Australian Reconciliation and Truth Day on the Autumn Equinox date of 22 or 23rd of March. I am again suggesting this date as it relates to the changing of seasons.

Explanatory note

People may ask why I do not recommend the connection between the summer and winter equinox. In northern Australia we do not have winter or summer we have dry and wet seasons. These seasons are more aligned with the autumn and spring equinox dates.