this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2024
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My thoughts on the Australia Day date (lemmy.world)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
12 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

So, Australia Day. Here's how I think the whole debate can be settled. We swap King's Birthday and Australia Day.

King's Birthday, which is universally acknowledged as no more than an excuse for a day off, falls very close to the anniversary of the date the Mabo decision was handed down. That would be a great date to celebrate the fact that our nation isn't just a smidge over two centuries old, but many tens of thousands of years old. We still have major issues of reconciliation and treaty to deal with, but this could be a good step in that direction.

Now, we still need a holiday towards the end of January. How else will we know it's time to go back to school, or which songs are considered hot? If we move the King's Birthday to the last Friday in January (and remember, the King's Birthday isn't held on his birthday and the timing is essentially arbitrary) we still get a chance to celebrate whatever it is we celebrate then. We can still pop a side of lamb on the barbie, we can still watch the cricket... heck, we can still celebrate our love for our great nation by putting on a pair of flag budgie smugglers and running up Glenelg Jetty otherwise naked.

Thoughts?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I think we should leave the day as is.

26th of January isnt even the date the first fleet arrived. Moving the date will only move the day people protest anyway because no one will ever be happy.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Some protestors I saw interviewed on TV wanted to abolish Australia Day entirely which doesn’t seem right to me. Many countries have a date that celebrates nationhood. Also, good luck convincing Australians to have one fewer public holidays.

How about we have a public holiday for ‘Arrival Day’ and another for ‘Survival Day’? Two public holidays are better than one.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I think it would be nice. it doesn't matter to anyone, but it would mean a lot to some people. why not do something nice

[–] [email protected] -1 points 7 months ago

Because others will want it moved and if this is the argument that does it then there will be no end to it.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think we should keep Australia day while there's still so much injustice for the first nations people.

We can have it back when we've actually built something worth celebrating.

But again, maybe that's just me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

I disagree. As much as this country has faults, show me a nation on this earth that doesn't?

This country is unique and beautiful and should be celebrated. We have 364 other days of the year to focus on making it an even better country we should leave at least 1 day of the year to celebrate it's positives.

I'm open to the date changing, but it should not be removed entirely.

Speak to any immigrant who worked so hard to stay in this country, why they like it more than there home country.

We have many things to be thankful for, let's take a moment to put down the aggression and rally together as one nation, who did fight side by side, who do care for this country, who are more alike then many would notice.

I beleive having some solidarity would probably go a long way in helping to further relations, to help to work towards righting past and present wrongs. Even in WW2 they stopped fighting in places to share a Christmas meal together (I think it was Christmas)

To abolish it will do nothing more than drive this nation further apart, when we need to be trying as hard as we can to do the exact opposite.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You're right, all the vast improvements we have made as a nation, all the serviceman and woman who have died defending our country and intrests, all the people we have let into our country and provided better lives for.

None of this is worth stopping taking a day and celebrating, none of it is worthwhile.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

A nation built on blood and genocide, wars fought with Aboriginal soldiers who came home to no thanks to be treated like dirt.

I won't have pride in a country that won't face its own racism, I won't have pride in a country that won't face it's unjustifiable founding.

Always was, always will be aboriginal land.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Yeah my land, thank you but I'm also Australian so i will celebrate what i want.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Fuck celebrating some British bastards birthday, change not just the date but the name.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Let's be honest, nobody cares about Charlie's birthday. We only care about the long weekend. If we cared about the king, we'd have it on/near his birthday. I'd happily swap the King's birthday for some other excuse for a day off.

But until we come up with some other excuse, I'm all for having a day off and calling it King's birthday.

That's different to the debate about today. I want a day to celebrate Australia. I'm not fussed when it is.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

King’s Birthday, which is universally acknowledged as no more than an excuse for a day off, falls very close to the anniversary of the date the Mabo decision was handed down

Depends on your state. In Queensland it’s the first Monday of October. In WA it can be either the first Monday of October or the last Monday of September