In addition to the problem of violence there is poor health, community dysfunction, unemployment, child neglect, and poor school attendance. Mitigation of election restrictions. Recent moves to promote changing the date of our national day are informed by the fact that many Australians - both Indigenous and non-Indigenous - feel they cannot celebrate on January 26, because that date marks the commencement of a long history of dispossession and trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Australia no longer aligns itself with the thinking of the. This is not a big pompous ceremony Whilst I am officiating Australia Day citizenship ceremonies, if you want to emblazon yourself in an Australian singlet or wear (swimmers) cause you are joining in the fun, I will let you up on stage and gladly welcome you as a new Australian, Greater Geraldton mayor Shane Van Styn told the ABC. Why not nationalise super and create a sovereign wealth fund? From this day, on 1788 onwards our people have suffered massacres, land theft, stolen children and oppression (which) colonisation forced upon us, Mr Dawe explains. Those opposed to Australia Day, mainly for the date on which is celebrated, do so because of the historical significance the British invasion and the destruction it brought. The Pros And Cons Of Australia Being A Republic Around Australia Day, There's A Lot Of Controversies. On January 17, after the latest clashes over the date had begun, an impassioned appeal by television host Brooke Boney went viral across the country. The latest report from Reconciliation Australia shows that 90 per cent of Australians want to learn about past issues, and that 89 per cent support a formal truth-telling process. Opposition lawmakers accused Morrison of playing politics with Australias national day and TV commentators questioned the Prime Minister on whether it was a big enough issue to require top-level decrees. Brendan O'Loughlin of Cook (Letters, January 13) might use one of his proposed extra four public holidays to work on his reading and comprehension skills. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. Young bright and full of hope is what we all. Less caffeine: Teens may be less likely to depend on caffeine to stay awake during the day. In that case, your Disability Support Pension stops until you return. Abso-bloody-lutely! Being the father of an indigenous man, now aged 54, whom we adopted when a baby, I have witnessed the many forms of racial discrimination he, along with his natural siblings, suffered over the decades while living in white communities. But the movement to change the date has become increasingly mainstream, with more than 100,000 people marching across the country to protest Invasion Day in 2018. It only began to be a national public holiday in 1994 - making it a mere 27-year-old tradition. Australians can find their human rights that are protected in the Constitution, in common law, anti-discrimination laws and other State and Federal legislation. As a foreigner, you should not attempt an Australian accent, nor should you say "G'day" or "G'day, mate." This could sound condescending and like mockery. Almost 100 suburbs and each with a soul! The UK on the other hand is notoriously rainy or overcast. Cons of living in Australia. People at bus stops smoke, they eat candy bars, they drink coffee or soft drinks, in short: they do things that generate rubbish. Attention Deficit and Fatigue. However, she also acknowledges that change is incremental. A century ago, when DST was introduced, more daylight was a good thing because it meant less use of artificial light and more energy savings. We should acknowledge this and celebrate what a great country Australia is - and work together to make it even better. But a group of conservative politicians led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison have pushed back hard, saying they will protect Australia Day and ensure it is respected. Bruce Woodley's Iconic Song 'I Am Australian' Consequences of success. The consequences of that have filtered through the generations, contributing to huge differences in health and financial outcomes for First Nations people, higher rates of incarceration and the number of children in out-of-home care. A debate exists in Australia over whether the country should adopt a republican form of government and abandon its current constitutional monarchy. Why some Australians want to move their controversial national day. In calling for a change to the date of Australia Day (yes, it's that time of the year again) Ester Gaia (CT, January 13) uses the emotive "British invasion and occupation" language to try to reduce the significance of the date. In the 18th century, this no doubt upset Christians; and maybe it even made them think critically, about war, faith, prayer. I am not sure if treason is still a crime on the statute books. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Many countries are moving towards a cashless society, in which all financial transactions are electronic. Table of Contents hide. In doing so, he founded the colony of New South Wales and, at the same time, commenced the dispossession and marginalization of Indigenous people. People may get frustrated. Certainly the sustained British presence on this continent eventually produced the liberal democracy, private enterprise priority, independent judicial system we now prize. Once upon a time you could reasonably expect a little peace, quiet and relaxation at a campground. The kids are being taken away not only from their family but their identity and knowing where they come from, says Mr Dawe. (Through awareness and truth telling) about this day, believe we will all be able to find reconciliation here in Australia. Privacy & Terms, Circadian Rhythm: Your Bodys Master Clock. Letters may be edited. Watch: What January 26 means to different Australians. Interests of the majority are represented. So lets grow up and treat Australia Day as a good time to reflect on how far weve come as a country and, for those in public life, how far weve yet to go. They also help to contribute to a stronger global economy. The economic reforms adopted in the 1980s have transformed Australia into a globally competitive market economy. Send it! We know that truth and honesty is the first form of healing, he says, adding that this must be a joint operation between Indigenous, non-Indigenous Australians and broader society. It is likely that their institutions will weaken over time but that will take generations. Around this time every year, as the end of January fast approaches, the conversation around the legitimacy of celebrating Australia Day on January 26 amps up. The UK is not on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year. They brought the worst elements of an empire from tyranny to syphilis with no thoughts of creating a shining, democratic outpost. Questions are raised, and so they should be: As a country, can we really drink to national pride on a day that carries so much trauma, grief and suffering for our First Nations people? Though the COVID-19 vaccine is unique in both its type and speed of release, a look at influenza vaccine policies can be instructive. As a follower of his column years ago, I have thought of him often since hearing of his illness. Please place rubbish bins at bus stops. The Australian flag debate is a periodic question over whether the Australian flag should be changed, particularly to remove the Union Jack from the canton, but also to possibly introduce a completely new design without the Southern Cross. Australian Catholic University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. These problems will not be solved by changing the date of Australia Day or giving it a new name. Referring to the cartoons published in Charlie Hebdo, Marguerite Castello asks how might we react to cartoons depicting Christians in a similarly offensive manner (CT, January 13). It was not recognised as a nationally celebrated holiday until 1994, making Australia Day as we know it the same age as Justin Bieber. According to the 2020 Family Matters report published in November last year, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children represent just six per cent of the total population of Australias children, they also make up 37 per cent of all children who have been removed from their parents. (Photo by Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images), British explorer James Cook in Melbourne was vandalized, 56% didnt care when the national day was held. Daylight Saving Time (DST) has been used for more than 100 years. This is part of a series examining Australian national identity, especially around the ongoing debate about Australia Day. There are no sound reasons why the date shouldn't be changed but there are plenty of reasons why the nation needs to change. Australia has its downsides, too, and more than just some truly terrifying wildlife. Benefits of Change Management. I am firmly of the view that if the decision was being made today, the 26th of January would not be the date chosen, because I think Australia is moving progressively to want to know the full story of this country, she says. But does she really think for one minute that this would be the nation it is today had it not been for the arrival of the First Fleet and the subsequent development of this land as a great democracy in the British tradition? Safety is one of the more solid arguments for keeping the lighter evenings of DST. We've changed the date before - in fact, January 26 has only been a national public holiday since 1994 - and must do so again if we want to achieve a national day that unifies all Australians.. The most common application of year-round education uses the 45-15 plan. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Christianity's history of brutality, conducted in the name of a man of peace, is longer than and as nasty as Islam's but this is never mentioned. Higher costs related to elections. Coming from someone who lived with this schedule for 12 years, here are some pros and cons to consider when it comes to the four-day school week The Cons Since an entire day is cut off the week, that extra time needs to be made up during the remaining four days. In doing so, he hopes to instil strength, hope, love, family and culture back into their lives and break the cycle. It might just be a commercial Australian Lambs annual advertisement ahead of Australia Day on January 26 but its struck a nerve with a lot of Australians this year. Similar numbers are expected to march this year, according to local media. When I was a kid, camping holidays were the highlight of our year. Small wonder that some bus stops in Canberra look like pigsties. Setting the clocks forward one hour in spring does not create more daylight, but it does change the time (on the clock) the Sun rises and sets. appreciated. "This is the best country in the world no doubt. Dont make it that day Make it any other day when its not coinciding and were happy to celebrate as Australians, he told CNN. Environmental Degradation 2. Keep your letter to 250 words or less. We encourage discussion, meaningful and respectful discussion, of the issues and opportunity for all Australians to become better informed about what the issues are, why (January 26) is offensive to many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, he said. Immigrants do more than create stronger local economies. It's a strange, brutal and relatively recent quirk of Australia's colonial history that January 26, a day that marks an invasion rather than independence, has even become our national day. I say take a leaf out of their books, sir. Two weeks before Australia Day 2019, Prime Minister Morrison announced potential measures which would ban councils from holding citizenship ceremonies on any day other than January 26. There is no excuse for the attack on Charlie Hedbo. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on student's math and reading scores. Boney received a wave of negative comments on social media after her speech, but also a large number of articles and commentary in support of her position. Australia Day debate is exhausting and data tells us it could last another generation, Follow the action from the third Test between India and Australia in Delhi in our live blog, Former government services minister Stuart Robert is being questioned at theRobodebt inquiry, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. The high living standard may be attributed to the low crime rate, high average wages, and excellent government systems. If we look at what appears to be an emerging generational divide, the conversation may eventually change and with it the way we mark the day. Proponents of DST argue that longer evenings motivate people to get out of the house. It wasn't until 1994 less than 30 years ago that all states and territories declared it a holiday. Terrorists and the like, mainly gullible young men, feel free to behave badly with guns and bombs because they're sucked in by the teachings of the two major religions, Islam and Christianity. That includes the communities that thrived on and cared for the land for 65,000 years before Captain Arthur Phillip planted a flag in it. Australia Day has wandered around the calendar and it was only the 1988 Bicentenary which pinned it down through the work of the Australia Day Council. It is understandable for indigenous Australians to note January 26 as the start of a hostile occupation which led to massacres and cultural destruction. There is an extra cost in building DST support into computer systems and keeping them maintained, as well as manually changing clocks. Insert. The downsides of going cashless include less privacy, greater exposure to hacking, technological dependency . The rule of law, equality of the sexes, scientific curiosity, technological progress, responsible government plus the constant self-criticism and lust for improvement that makes us so self-conscious of our collective failings towards Aboriginal people all date from then; and may not have been present to anything like the same extent had the settlers fanning out from Sydney Cove been other than British. For Ms Burney, the date is a symbol of survival and like many Aboriginal people, she knows January 26 as Survival Day. Its slow and its usually hard fought, she says. We can celebrate the achievements of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters, and the successes achieved together. 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