What's what?

Great day to wake up and smell the roses.

Blowie, that comment is either high IQ genius or hilariously stupid. Roses! Ha ha! You da man, cobber.

yeah why do we celebrate it?

Indo national days are supposed to create a sense of unity. Australia Day, on the current date, does not do that, so the date should be changed. This would initially cause some division but it would be forgotten in time. There are sections of the indigenous community who will never accept the existing date. All other arguments miss the point in my opinion.

It's tradition, ain't it?! National holiday on the actual day since way back in 94. 1994.

Up there with our official national anthem since 1984, and official flag since 1953/54. Tradition!

Before that it was all Pommy! Wake up and smell the roses indeed!

BB, check bottom of the previous page if you haven't before. Interesting alternative date proffered. Worthy of discussion?

....and if you are in Sydney. Always worth the effort to see Kev Carmody

http://yabun.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/25-1-17YABUN_OFFICIAL_PRO...

So Blindboy if we change the date to another date do you think Indigenous people will be happy and unite as one and celebrate Australia day???

I dont think so the actual date is irrelevant Australia day is basically about celebrating colonialism of Australia, it's not about the first day non indigenous Australians came its about the first day and every day from then until now.

australia day should be about a lot more than that indo. but maybe keep australia day and just rename it to "foundation day" or some bullshit like that. then make the 27th May the actual australia day and then dump the queens birthday as a trade to keep employers happy.

i can still get stupidly drunk on the 27th May right?

indo if you think Australia Day celebrates colonialism you are culturally stuck somewhere around 1970. The arrival of Europeans on this continent was a disaster. Where I live it is estimated that 90% of the indigenous population died of smallpox within a few years of the first fleet. It will never be an event they can celebrate.

drunkenness ... based on the traffic jam outside the Dan Murphys in town this afternoon it seems plenty are planning on being very thirsty tomorrow. I grew up in a neighbourhood that took their Australia Day obligations in that regard very seriously. Used to get ugly mid afternoon.

@indo, do you really celebrate the colonisation of Terra Australis? I'm curious to know why anyone would want to celebrate the arrival of the first fleet and what that meant for the convicts and their families and the indigenous nations. Would you like to expand.

I personally don't celebrate Australia day in any way these days, i will be working tomorrow and the day means little to me, all it means is it will be crowded on a week day :(

But yes I think Australia day is about celebrating the success of coming here and building a successful country and all the positive things we have achieved on the way.

I don't think anyone says Indigenous people can't or shouldn't celebrate this also as they are obviously a big part of Australia, but it is totally understandable why Indigenous people don't want to celebrate it.

But that said I think changing the date will change nothing, like i said it doesn't change history, or that we celebrate that history.

Although i couldn't care less what day Australia day is on or if the date was changed.

If you're lucky enough to have been born in or made Australia your home you've hit the jackpot already. Every day you are in Australia is Australia day as far as I'm concerned.

If the 26th is the date, I'm happy to celebrate it as that. Can't remember where but I was reading this morning something that I agree with- something along the lines of, remember the past and learn from mistakes made, be accepting of the present and work hard to improve the future. Sound words imo.

I don't understand these people that constantly whinge about Australia. I said it once before, some people should really get out more and then come back and see how 'bad' Oz really is. When some people call Australia day Invasion day, that gives me the 'effing shits.

Happy Australia Day everybody, I'll raise a glass to you tomorrow and I'm going to go for a chilly surf just cause I can.

Have a good one you lucky Aussie bleeders.

I'll enjoy the day tomorrow but I think we would do well to change it. If our national day is for all in our nation then the day the poms arrived and let's be honest, started to bugger things up for the indigenous people, doesn't really show a whole lot of sensitivity to the first inhabitants here.

27th of May seems like a good idea, the day we took the step to being a nation that recognised everyone.

We're a lucky bunch here, so damn lucky. Best wishes to everyone.

Interesting, because where I am at the local indigenous say 'let's celebrate'. Because they said, we all would have been speaking French otherwise. Can understand the the thoughts but regardless, we all seem to agree this is a bloody good place, don't piss on it.
As we listened to a great live band last night, the four of us realised that we had Irish, Norwegian, Russian, Hungarian, aboriginal, Bolivian, English blood from only two generations. That's Aussie.

Fanning given the Order of Australia award.

Got to love a country that grants one of its highest accolades to a guy that once sneakily exposed his slug in a photo in a surfing magazine.

Aussie Aussie Aussie !

This seems to be a well balanced article in The Age today ... worth a read. Would be interested in what others think also.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/we-need-to-reinvent-australia-day--both...

Hello Tonybarber, That's interesting what you say about the French, from my Australian history studies I seem to remember that there was widespread commentary in French circles at the time the English began their settlements here about how badly the local indigenous people were faring.

Fully agree with the link Guy Smiley.

Happy Oz day .

Word.

And I think most of the arguments on here would never begin if peeps assumed that as the starting point and perspective of people arguing from what is perceived as lefty or PC positions. In my experience the hard core PC brigade are a fabricated minority created so the shock jocks have something to whinge about.

Whereas just about everybody I've ever spoken to comes from a perspective like that article. We oughta assume people are reasonable because most of us in this land of Oz are just that.

Now change the date, dickheads.

zen Australia is a great place to live if you don't happen to be one of the dispossessed living in third world conditions. Celebrate by all means, but remember, just now and then, to take the rose coloured glasses off and look at where that comfortable lifestyle came from. Historically Australia, like the US, built its wealth on unpaid labour. In Australia that was the slavery of kidnapped Pacific Islanders and local indigenous people working for nothing but rations after the land they depended on was taken from them. If "Invasion Day" gives you the shits that is because you descend from the invaders, not the invaded. As a matter of interest, if not invasion, what term would you use for a foreign country using military force to drive the existing inhabitants off their land?

Blindboy doesn't get it because he's an immigrant so he never really sided with white Australians.

It's a very different Australia for those born here to be made to feel like a stranger in your home land by recent arrivals - and I'm not talking about the indigenous perspective.

Note how Blindboy refuses to acknowledge that most white settlers here came against their will, enduring absolute persecution and dislocation from their homelands, friends and relatives.

And moreover by any measure of proportion it was the labour, privations and knowledge of the white settlers that created this society more so than any labour provided by indeginous slaves or blackbirded Pacific Islanders. Of course they contributed but well beneath that of the voluntary and involuntary labours of white people to create the wealthy and free nation that provided immigrants such as Blindboy with a free education that he uses in an attempt to lecture native born sons of the country that are probably more aware than himself of the oppression endured by the indigenous Australians.

That we began as convicts forcefully driven here and created the successful, happy, ambitious, friendly , tolerant , welcoming and egalitarian nation we live in is reason to celebrate Australia.

The naysayers can sit inside with the curtains shut from the blue sky, bright light and healthy lifestyle available and sulk if they so wish.....cause we are free to do as we wish !

Or they can take their shit coloured glasses of every now and again and be grateful for what they have rather than sanctimoniously preaching to those that wish to be positive - if only for one day.

Happy Australia Day !

PS I am actually descended from people persecuted by the might of imperial England as much as most. You can ruin other people's holiday by telling them how hard my ancestors had it if you want. But I'd prefer you didon't because, let's be honest, the world was always going to change and I landed in the best place in the world due to the changes. Just got to forgive and make the most of the opportunities available....same goes for anyone, anywhere.

"Blindboy doesn't get it because he's an immigrant so he never really sided with white Australians"

What does that even mean?
Immigrants dont "get" Australia day?
You have to be born here to underdstand it?
Not just that but you have to be a "white Australian"?

"... the successful, happy, ambitious, friendly , tolerant , welcoming and egalitarian nation we live in."

Successful, yep for most.

Happy - you don't read social media, the papers or read politics as much as I thought blowin. People are mostly miserable and in debt up their eyeballs - no to that.

Ambitious - yes, but ambition to me is a burning flame that consumes and destroys - I know we're supposed to think that ambition is good, I just don't, I think it is the least possible motive for action outside of naked greed, and is closely related.

Friendly - jaysus, we used to be, now we seem to be a bunch of whiny in-breds, at least they get all the airplay. The quiet, unassuming, laconic Australian character is virtually dead.

Tolerant - do you read the papers/ websites? We were never particularly tolerant, but used to have the good sense to shut up about our prejudices, not now.

Welcoming - only if you come with bags of money and/or fit into pre-approved racial/social/religious stereotypes.

Egalitarian - oh lord help me!

I just find nationalism grating, feeble and unimaginative. Until we take on the perspective of being 'earthlings' rather than Australians, the planet and its peoples are fucked.

But if you do want to feel some national pride, because this is a wonderful land in spite of what I said above, then please do it quietly and humbly, and accepting of others who might be different from yourselves.

I checked the pesticide aisle at Coles but I couldn't find any troll spray. Anyone know where you can get it?

It means he's got a chip on his shoulder ,Sheepdog.

Read his post to Zen. Totally exclusive of any contribution that white settlers made .

Poor bloke probably got teased for his accent so here we are 50 years later and he is piously and unnecessarily lecturing an Australian on Australian history- from a biased perspective.

How would Zen come across if he constantly lectured his Japanese hosts about the dispossession of the Ainu people after being their guest for so long ?

He'd sound like a wanker is how he'd sound.

Blindboy considers himself an academic whilst calling anyone that debates his opinion a troll.

An opinion that was determinedly contrarian aka trollesque by his own definition.

Haha !

come on Blowin, stop acting like such a goose. If you really wanted blindboy to debate you, you'd debate the points with a bit of respect for the person presenting them. You're starting to look like the bloke with a chip on your shoulder not him.

Looks to me like you only ever want to start a fight with blindboy by lobbing little darts and then have a whinge about being called out on it. I mean, carry on if that's what you want to do but you know, why would ya?

Once a troll, always a troll. It's all yours Blowin, see ya.

Benski, no little darts.

I despise his whole act - the piousness , condescension and faux academia built on a foundation of small mindedness.

Plenty of points for debate there mate. He could perhaps attempt to point out how I'm incorrect on any front. But he'd rather mask his lack of answers behind a guise of thin skinned presciousness.

See his above post.

You wouldn't be caught dead throwing out the drivel he does then hiding behind contrived insult, Benski and neither would I.

If you're going to talk shit at least have the guts to defend it.

Especially if you're attempting to shame and insult.

And that's how I take his continued beleagering of the country that has granted him so many opportunities.

And the thing that shits me about it, is that you're both good writers and otherwise have some bloody interesting things to say.

I dunno man, you don't come back at me the same way when you disagree with me so I dunno. I might just get shitty a ya if you did! Try me, come on, avago!

Anyway, for reals I'm stuck in a bloody city today so I'm gonna get out behind these curtains now and get some Vit D. Or go to the shops. Cheers all.

Well..... Yeah I get shitty at BB, too.... But I do my very best to control myself, and TRY to debate facts..... Yeah I lose it from time to time.... But Blowin, you have a real short fuse, man....

Btw, I'm white, I was born here, my fathers side dates waaaaaay back, and I think Australia day is the biggest wank..... But I have shares in a chinese factory that makes Australian flags... So it's all good..

Surf is pumping.

Fair enough blowin. Caught your post pre edit and was gonna reply later but all good. Surf is the unifier here!

I'm all peace love and mung beans and why can't we all just get along, anyway. I love youse all, every single one of youse. Cept nick3, that guy's a bit of a knob.

I think it would be an interesting experiment to change the date and see if it changes anything.

I personally doubt it would change much, i think people will still whinge and maybe call it occupation day instead.

Hopefully one day we can change the day to Australian independence day, when we finally grow up and leave our British past behind us.

'Cept nick3, that guy's a bit of a knob'

Ha ha ha- that made me laugh.

I'm too tired to write, just got in from 4 hours of overhead reefy goodness and I'm chilled to the bone.

Happy Australia Day brothers.

I like this Indigenous womens view on an Australian day date change

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/nt-aboriginal-leader-defends-ja...

Macfarlane is right. We can't change the past but you can change the future. change the date if it makes some people happy. Mundine is suggesting 1st Jan. I think you would get a majority to change the date. Many to Anzac Day.
This would a great idea for Turnbull to step up - win win for all. But he just does not get it. Frankly, our local indigenous could not care less.

The thing about these type of issues is it would be nice to have some national leadership.

While the date we celebrate Australia Day is certainly in the realm of the Prime MInister's portfolio he isn't interested, yet, on Melbourne shock jock radio this morning he wants to talk about the erection of additional bollards in Melbourne CBD streets in response to last week's tragic event, i.e. a state or the City of Melbourne issue.

That isn't national leadership and that is an illustration why is he and his government is on the nose with the electorate.

And as for Barnaby Joyce's recent statements on the subject and housing affordability, well put all that down to his attempts to stop the bleeding of votes to One Nation in the upcoming Qld and WA elections.

Contrast Turnbull's and Joyce's recent statements to the leadership previously shown by a Whitlam, Frazer, Hawke or Keating (Mabo legislation & Redfern speech) or perhaps even Howard on issues dealing with our social fabric.

Howard and the social fabric?! I just thought he chucked 'White King' in to give it a 'proper' clean.

Tony friggin' Barber! ANZAC Day?! Dare I ask why? What's Uncle Rupe's latest on this again? Give us the drum, cobber...

April First is the best day to celebrate it.

I know people dont like facts..... So just yell out "blah blah blah blah blah" when you read the following.
Yesterday was a sham... Every 26/1 Australia day is a sham.... It's not "Australia day"..... It's NSW day....

January 1st is the real Australia day.... Just as July 4th is the USA's big day, the day of independence, Jan 1 1901 is the day for ALL Australia... It's the day we became a nation. It's the day that is not NSWcentric.
But are Australians too shallow to accept new years day (a day already put aside for "celebrating") as the national day? Would they rather bitch and fight over a holiday that has only been around since 1994? I'd say the answer to that is yes.
I spent last night trying to find if the federation was signed off on the 1/1/1901 in England or in Australia, because if it was signed in England, that would mean Australian time would've been 2nd Jan.... That would've saved a lot of butt hurt for the "home and away" watchers. They could get pissed out of their minds on new years eve, recover on Jan 1st, then fire up the imported green prawns on Jan 2nd..... But alas.....

So if Jan 1st causes too many little brains to melt down , I found another alternative date that could be utlized as Australia day.... I even think our indigenous brothers and sisters would be happy, considering it's the day the British ( who took the land) relinquished Australia to ALL Australians

Referendums were held across all the British colonies in Australia between 1898 and 1899.
In Sept 1899, the people of Australia had decided to become a federation. The "Brisbane Courier" at the time wrote;
"Australia is born: The Australian nation is a fact. Now is accomplished the dream of a continent for a people and a people for a continent. No longer shall there exist those artificial barriers which have divided brother from brother. We are one people – with one destiny."

In March 1900 a delegation travelled to London to present the constitution to the British Parliament.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act was passed by the British Parliament on 5 July 1900. Queen Victoria signed the Act on 9 July 1900.

So...... the 9th of July...... Queen Victoria signed a document..... Britain officially let go..... On this day, July 9 1900, Australia was a nation "elect"...... If the troglodytes cant handle Jan 1st being Australia day, then July 9th would be a logical replacement.

Doggo, go to the posts at the bottom of the previous page. See what you think...

"butt hurt" ???

Turk... I personally would love the may date you suggested.... But the art of negotiation is to find the ground where everyone is pissed off bahahahaha...... I'll give you a hypothetical example... A green group does not want an old growth forest touched IN ANY WAY and are screaming at the loggers.... The loggers who have been cutting it down with total disdain for the ecology want this to continue and are screaming at the greenies..... Enter the dawg....
The dawg pulls out facts and shows the greenies that the massive pine trees have a life span of around 800 years.... they then collapse and die..... These massive pines are worth their weight in gold.... He points out to the loggers how they are screwing something that could be a money maker to their kids..... Dawg passes legislation similar to some European countries where a government arbourist enters the forest, marks the trees that have no more than 50 years life left in them, and the loggers are contracted to remove once a year... The greens are pissed off, but sort of feel like they've had a win.... the loggers are pissed off but feel like they've had a win... The masses applaud the common sense..... Dawg gets voted back in next election....

So the problem with your may date is a massive group will feel like they have lost.... No mixed emotion of "win" to balance.... There will be major conflict....
But who can argue strongly against July 9?
No white person can argue..... it's the day we became a nation elect.
No indigenous person can argue.... it's the day the invaders let go..
Both groups can be slightly peeved... But not too peeved, because the date has some positive to reflect on for everyone concerned.

Your thoughts.

I thought about this more and i don't think the day should be changed yet especially because of the pressure of the minority, that not being Indigenous people but more the vocal left that always complain about anything and everything.

But one day we will become a republic hopefully sooner than latter, obviously that should be the day we celebrate Australia day on.

Im also not against a day to recognise the indigenous people as the first people of this land though, ditch the queens birthday and give the Indigenous people their own day.

Took my eldest for a swim down the beach mid-morning yesterday and there were people everywhere. Despite the gloomy weather the beach parks were chockas and every car space within two blocks of the beach was taken. Lot of different racial groups too: Polynesians, Indians, Lebs, they were all represented and getting into the swing of it. 'Twas great to see.

When I got home my son wanted to go and play with his mate who lives three doors up. They're an Aborginal family and I walked my son up there to say hello. Very different mood in their house. Felt more like a wake.

I don't have hugely strong feelings about it, though I do think changing the date is the right thing to do. People who say it wont change anything are missing the point.

If you're dancing on someone's grave and you're asked to stop, it's not so the person can come back to life. That's ridiculous. You stop because it's the decent thing to do.

Would be fantastic if Oz day was a day EVERYONE could celebrate.

Stu, what was the flag situation like? Generally interested...call it a gauge.

Doggo, this has been posted before, you might remember it...I find it interesting.

http://www.australiaday.org.au/australia-day/history/timeline/

Would the majority of Australians feel like they've 'lost' because a holiday on the actual day, the 26th Jan, is moved? Really?

It's only been a public holiday on the day for ALL Australians since 1994! For most of my life it's been a long weekend around the date. And to get anecdotal, it's only become a 'thing', with the flags, parties etc, since after that date. Especially noticeable sometime in the Howard era.

Pre-that date, my seaside town only ever saw small numbers of various ethnic groups (go figure!) camped out at the foreshore having a purposeful barbie. There may have even been a little flag-waving involved. It was that freakish and noticeable, it became a 'thing' in itself!

Maybe it was different in different states. It wouldn't surprise me in NSW or Queensland.

The fact is it's been a pretty short tradition round Australia.

But we can't jettison it now?

Again, depends how the information gets disseminated, hey?

Hey Barbie, Tones, cobber, here's a little something you may enjoy! Yew!

A very Australian Australian of the year

As we all celebrate the 2017 Australian of the year’s Alan Mackay-Sim’s achievements in biomolecular science, it is worth reminding ourselves who the Australian newspaper chose last weekend as its own Australian of the year. Queenslander Calum Thwaites and his barrister, Tony Morris, were singled out by the Murdoch broadsheet’s editors for Australian of the year for “standing up for their rights after the Australian Human Rights Commission, which administers the RDA [Racial Discrimination Act], failed them”.

“A clear injustice was perpetrated against these students who merely expressed a view against what they saw as racial segregation at [Queensland University of Technology],” editor-in-chief Paul Whittaker said. “They took a stand in the best Australian tradition. They fought back to protect their own reputations, their freedom and the liberty we should all enjoy.”

The competition for this exclusive gong was fierce, and included the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, who “resonated with an electorate tired of political double speak” and Australia’s richest woman. “Gina Rinehart is best known for her corporate success in two of Australia’s top exports, iron ore and beef, but swim stars, breast cancer patients, youth at risk and young girls in Cambodia know her for her generosity,” the paper said.

The Australian’s associate editor, Chris Kenny, also thinks the Australian of the Year has become too politically correct, tweeting “In the future someone will win Australian of the Year for excelling at something”, hours before the announcement of Mackay-Sim.