Happy Australia day !!!!
Happy Do what PM says Day!
Most Aussies have long celebrated Oz Day on nearest Monday to 26th Jan.
1994 Pollies / CEO's ended 3 day Oz wide festival into a day long boring speech.
2001 (17 Sept) Citizenship Day > (1973 Renaming of Australian Citizenship Act )
Oz Govt's 64p code for special day > Schools/Councils/Affirmation Ceremonies
Code enforces Councils to provide Monthly/Quarterly Citizens Ceremonies.
Ceremonies are included within Council special appointments being cost neutral.
This is how Citizenship Ceremonies play out as of This Australia Day.
Australia Day Citizenship Ceremonies -16,000/yr
Home Affairs Citizenship Ceremonies 141,236/yr -(Immigration/Border protection)
100 Australian Councils of 537 no longer can afford Australia Day Ceremonies.
[factcheck] Oz Govt's avoid Australia Day Citizenship Ceremonies...Why?
1) Australia Day is a Public Holiday! 100% Citizenship am/pm extra time servants.
All civic Defence/Firies/Police/Ambos/Headmasters/Tuck Shop Ladies/Mayors ....
By far the most expensive day of the year. (Smart Councils say pass!)
2) Australia Day ensemble requires full Emergency services participation.
This at end of School Holidays rush home hour.Their busiest Time of year/Roads.
3) Jan/26 is usually the height of Summer.
Oz day pageantry requires Puffy outfits & National Costumes amidst Heatwave.
Alongside Aboriginals these are obvious compelling reasons to dump the balloons.
You may have noticed today Scomo + #2 wife Gladys have elections soon.
Neither have many sitting days so plenty of time to divide us & them.(50-50)
ScoGlad Australia Day Code.
All Citizenship Ceremonies(Day/night)> Hottest most Expensive day of the year!
Failing to surrender triple wage State resources to the cause revokes your powers.
No consultation & forget about reimbursement of Oz wide resource blowout.
National Costumes of bare feet are fine until Oz certificate.(No Thongs & Boardies) Oz Costume of High Standards > (2 dirty left tennis shoes + Sweaty Baseball Cap)
ScoGlad wish to invite you on their Australia Day Harbour Walk @ $10,000/metre.
Happy Hecs Day
World knows Aust' Federal Govt is least qualified to conduct Citizenship Tests.
Having cost Oz $25million to sack themselves & re-declare themselves Oz citizens.
So why the need to change to the one date & why is opposition hesitant to say no.
1997 Howard drafted policy to prevent dual national crisis but sat on it.
https://www.afr.com/news/politics/how-the-howard-government-could-have-p...
2006 Howard's Mateship Test extended Citizens delay from 2years to now 4years.
To explain the reasoning we must observe from the new Australian's point of view.
Predominately Asians are attracted to Oz Education & Health. (This is no secret)
Fair to say a percentage are attracted to Science but also Europeans to Sport.
Australian Citizenship laws for New Australians.
*(Govt) One can serve as Oz Pollie (Might wanna check on that! - Just saying)
*(Voting) Fed/State must be citizen (Council) Vote per several Property portfolios
*(Jury duty) is for Citizens or see Electoral Roll
*(Defence) Must be citizens
*(Airlines) employ Oz Citizens (As a security rule).
*(Sport) Only Oz citizens can represent Australia
Many social advantages
*(Health) Pensioners / Health care card holders receive equal benefit as Oz born.
*(Adoption) Citizens can legally adopt
*(Education) Student of all age qualify for deferred payment schemes Hecs/Help.
Note: Travel advantages/disadvantages changes per Nationality (A Whole book)
Smart swellnetonians note that LNP expanded 2 > 4 >> '5 years' Citizenship wait
By declaring one date 26/Jan - Blows out a further year on top of now 4 years.
Between Howard & Scomo that represents 3 years of budget savings.
But also 3 years of productivity & constraint in above sectors.
LNP 3 years x 150,000 student/Health Care freeze is a massive Budget/yr windfall.
That's a whopping 450,00 citizens kicked out of prime hand out loop since 2006.
Does that help you all explain Labor's saying not just yet? We'll have a look!
Education is the stand out saving to Budget.
Most new Australian Families need English Classes.
Asian students dominate expensive Uni classes of Sciences/Medicine/Law
Health is a saving but I unaware of a Disability or Aged influx to Australia.
I am aware that Oz disability equal access/care rights is a huge pull factor.
I am also aware of Elderly & Frail preferring Oz health treatment above all.
I'm only guessing that New Oz Aged/Disabled plays out as a burden to Budget
Oz Sport Representatives bypass protocol due to Olympic 4 year timeframe
That's right! Athletes seeking Amnesty jump alot of Queues. (We all knew that !)
Oz has no shortage of Medalists whose names we can't pronounce.
Any Indian cricketer could become Australian Captain within 2 years (We pray!)
Sporting Aussies are exempt from Scomo Citizenship.(How Typically Australian )
Summing up!
Aust Day boots'n'all identity line-up forbids OZ coming out in own size/date parties
This is clearly a push to gain a further years Budget saving at Council's cost.
Perverse mean spirited Howard policy where those who lose can't vote you out.
Any Councils who complain of inconvenience or compo will be ostracized.
Australian Citizenship Round-Up + Feed Times (All Day 26 Jan - Tickets Only)
The ultimate Goal being a 5 year wait for Oz Govt handouts to decrease migration. One of a number joint Policies dreamed up by the Lovebirds.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/pm-morrison-to-hear-state-migration-pleas
Call it whatever Day you like as far as the A-List couple are concerned.
Pathetic all year! (Lovebirds stamp a new Oz Law every day in off season?)
A Channel Nine employee?!
The times they are a changin'.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2019/jan/17/i-dont-want...
As another embarrassing side-note, anyone remember the TV show Boney?
Oi!
Brooke is indeed one of Ray Martin's Red Chief Mob.
ScoGlad will punish any politically motivated attack on Citizenship Ceremonies.
[factcheck]
LNP Cockroach race wins a Medicare Showbag with bonus 2 left shoes and a Cap
5 years on Oz soil > buys you a row of tickets in The Oz day Hecs Tray.
H'day queues too long? Get lucky next year! Budget boost LNP Oz Day polls >75%.
Sports Stars go round twice, score AIS drug booty,smack their Bitch up & Shout Oi!
Greens honour trad' LNP's Citizenship Day Ceremonies & are branded disloyal ?
Swellnetonians can judge who sold out Australia Day. No! Not the Original Mob!
the 26th should be known as sydney day, not australia day.
the 26th doesn't celebrate the arrival of the first fleet or the claiming of australia as a pommy colony. the 26 is the day the colonisation caravan upped sticks and moved from botany bay to sydney harbour. if people in perth, dunedoo or wherever want to celebrate sydney day, go for it. just don't call it australia day.
Here's an interesting perspective on oz day.
I think old mate is getting a bit excited, a bit too influenced by his identity politics indoctrination, but it's interesting....
I say he's getting too excited because he's going to judge the whole country as cunts because a couple of morons are flaunting their oz flag batman capes of late. I'm often surprised by how many people are bagging the batman cape flag wavers, and how few wavers there actually are, despite the media's constant cries of impending doom.
I reckon he flogs that racism word a bit much too. Not least when referring to the non whiteys citizenship being conditional. I know for a fact of one whitey pommy migrant facing deportation for being a bit of a very naughty boy', and neglecting to be naturalised. And there's been bikies deported back to NZ. So maybe, just maybe, skin colour isn't everything.
And, possibly, it ain't all about racism, that's if your world view isn't solely about seeing racism everywhere you look that is.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/16/i-no-longer-suppor...
For the record, I think he raises some good points. And I reckon jan 26 is a shitty day to hold celebrations
Default Oz Day Media Ban keeps us in the dark on Scomo's Oz Day changes.
Promo's Oz Day One Day Sale focuses on Immigrant's Citizenship Ceremony.
Parks/BBQ's/Beaches packed with immigrants.Spot the Aussie jokes each Oz Day
New '2 left shoes crew' reserved Council BBQ's ahead of Aussies on Oz Grog Day .
Bob'n'Pauline's School Holidays job for 'Shot in the dark Canetoad Kidz!'
Oz-wide immigrants work for peanuts so we can Celebrate Australia Day.
Scomo forces 200,000 immigrants + families to take Day Off...Shit will hit the fan.
ScoGlad's Oz Day is by far the biggest forced Strike Action walk out in Oz History.
Yep! Bigger than you typical LNP Parliamentary Walkout @ Leadership Strike.
Ballot for 1 million Aussies to spread Vegemite Sangerz for Immigrants on Oz Day?
Scomo's typical Immigrant's Oz Day 7/11 wage is around $7/hr.
LNP small businesses will close rather than pay Aussie slackarses one dollar more!
Fallout from Scomo Day opens a pack of bait worms but you wouldn't read about it!
Didn't expect this "I want to change my people’: Yothu Yindi support Australia Day on January 26"
Yothu Yindi have called for “unity” as debate about the most appropriate date to celebrate Australia Day has reignited.
The Arnhem Land band will be performing as part of official festivities organised by the NSW state government.
The Indigenous music group are famous for their 1991 protest anthem Treaty, the first song to hit the mainstream music market in any Aboriginal Australian language.
Witiyana Marika, Yothu Yindi co-founder, said it was a “privilege” to be a part of the January 26 program.
“We want to celebrate unity and redemption,” he told NITV.
“For me, I’d like to celebrate ‘cause of my survival… I’ve got my black power culture that I still carry on.”
More of the article here: https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2019/01/16/i-want-change-my-people-y...
I guess most things in life are about outlook, you can celebrate the positives or focus on the negatives, I guess they look at the day as a chance to bring indigenous issues to the spot light and educate about history etc.
Good post , Indo.
The more we celebrate our unity as a nation the happier we’ll be living together. Striving to highlight divisions does no one any favours.
I don’t know any other country which has a kangaroo on their coat of arms either . You reckon we should change it ?
It is very common to have distinctive local fauna on the national coat of arms.
In the same vein as the recent, extremely happy, deluxe, straight forward and extremely educational Hawaiian pipeline experience.
https://www.roninfilms.com.au/feature/13254/another-country.html
https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1415699523925/another-country
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/31/another-country-review-enli...
Wally , point being that we don’t have to parrot the actions of other countries.
Seeing as we are the most successful multicultural nation in the world , maybe they should be copying us .
Not that I'm against changing the date, but don't expect it would change anything...even if it was a floating date/day like last Friday of January i think it would still have the same issues. (although still think it would be the best thing to do)
What do we actually celebrate on Australia Day again?
The fact that an intended punishment for the victims of a class war managed to become the most stable , classless and opportune multicultural society in the world.
If it is supposed to be a day of national unity then a date that offends a significant section of the population is unsuitable. The fact that many indigenous people do not have a problem with it does not out weigh the fact that many others do. Unity or division? We know which way the Coalition plays that game. Slomo, two left feet and a devious divisive mind
No guys, what's the official reason why? Is it really to do with the first fleet? Really?
It’s the day that the convicts got released from the hulls of their wretched floating gaols and were released into the blinding future of a new world which also happened to be a nice metaphor for their release from the oppressive shackles of the old world and thus allowing them to commence the creation of the most stable , classless and opportune multicultural society in the world.
On the 26th January, 1788 the first fleet unloaded their human cargo onto the Australian soil . After months at sea and inestimable suffering and death , the first victims of the English class war to set foot on dry land immediately commenced a bacchanalic celebration of their barely imagined survival .
As Surgeon Bowes put it :
“ The men convicts got to them ( female convicts) very soon after they landed , and it is beyond my ability to give a just description of the scene and debauchery and riot that ensued during the night .”
Our forefathers had survived and endured being excommunicated from their homeland for what was, in most cases , purely the crime of being poor . A new life in a new land. That is why I celebrate Australia Day .
It wasn’t invasion day , it was emancipation day !
BTW - Admirable employment of staunch obtuseness , Guy !
Nice work .
As someone who formally studied Australian History at university @Blowin may I assure you that new world you allude to was a living hell.
My point is if its officially about the first fleet what relevance does it have to modern Australia unless of course you are stuck in right's cultural wars of terra nullius, no stolen generations, no apology and no Uluru Statement.
We all got very nationalistic, perhaps jingoistic, about Australia Day and Anzac Day when it became very unAustralian to do lots of things during Howard's time. Be alert but not alarmed and wear your patriotism on your back.
Australia is mostly a classless place and "was" where people were given a fair go, still lot to like about it but the celebration of our national day based on the arrival of some prison ships? we should be able to way better than that, but then again maybe not. Australia, The Lucky Country?
OMFG
What relevance does the landing of the first fleet have on the modern world ? They’re out fucking relatives !
If that’s not relevant to us , then the experience of the indigenous people in 1788 is not relevant to today’s indigenous people.
It’s our birthday as Australians . You’ve honestly got to be dense as fuck to truly not appreciate why someone would want to celebrate that. If you don’t want to celebrate then don’t, but you can seriously get fucked if you think you’re going to guilt me out of doing so.
Go home , pull the blinds , sit there in the dark and flagellate yourself if it makes you feel better.
I’ll be having a helltime . I’m not a pommy ! That alone is worth an all day smile.
We all became nationalistic and jingoistic during Howard’s time ...
Oh did we ? I was having the time of my life and couldn’t give a fuck what politicians or the rest of the world was doing.
So Australia Day celebrates our right to not give a flying fuck about the rest of the world? Sounds reprehensible to me.
'I’m not a pommy !'
Just a bit of a wee fib!!! Again... on Ozzie day of all things!! Well, keeping in tradition... why not aye!!!Again...
And, my goodness, no need to get all red and hot under the collar!!! That could even lead to a rash outburst... even gushing about a parroted US surfboard!!! Criminal on Ozzie day!!! Still, some swillnuts are all for a bit of treason!!!
'The Queen of Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth the 2nd, is still the monarch of Australia, though she doesn't directly rule it. Yes, the Australian government is a constitutional monarchy, which is why the queen has power there.'
As someone that has normally good antenna spotting the games politicians play it surprises you can't see how things changed during Howard, perhaps you were have a great time and missed it.
Anyway @Blowin, you missed the golden opportunity to call me "unAustralian"
Oi
I meant that I’ve had the same attitude towards Australia Day for my whole life and that Howard’s existence didn’t change my opinions or outlook.
Why would I call you unaustralian ?
This is Australia. You’re allowed to have whatever opinion you want.
That’s one of the reasons we celebrate Australia Day !
The games politicians play don’t affect my interpretation of the way our nation has evolved. Particularly John Fucking Howard’s tenure.
So when did you become nationalistic and jingoistic? Only joking Blowin! Nationalistic, yeh, jingoistic, nah.
I think the raising of the flag when the first fleet arrived is probably the important symbolistic thing (like when they landed on the moon or climbed Everest ect)
I never voted for Howard and had even less interest for politics back then than i do now, and I'm not very nationalistic but i still like a prime minister that is nationalistic and tries to be a bit Aussie even if at times it comes across forced or cringeworthy, it's still something i want to see or expect.
I expect my politicians to like a beer every once in a while, have a footy team they barrack for, and drop a bit of Aussie slang every now and then.
Would have loved Hawkie than Indo
If we are going to use the landing of the 1st fleet, as the Queen is our head of State surely "God save the Queen" or Rule Britannica" is more appropriate for Jan 26th.
Oi ....Oi Oi Oi
Huh ?
The whole point of Australia Day is celebrating when we were officially cast out of England. They didn’t want us so they literally sent us to the other side of the world .
We were emancipated from England . The first children to be born in Australia from amongst the outcasts were considered inferior to English people. This is where our cultural cringe originated....we were unwanted step children of the empire. Thus the residual dedication to England which only faded recently. We got dumped and always blamed ourselves for the break up .
Still , within a few years the first indigenous Caucasian Australians were beginning to realise their luck at being born Australian and not English.
Did you know that the average first generation Indigenous Australian of English descent was 6 inches taller than their poverty stricken and malnourished English cousins?
Blowin
OMFG
What relevance does the landing of the first fleet have on the modern world ? They raped, murdered and enslaved indigenous people's fucking relatives !
If that’s not relevant to them, then the experience of the Europeans in 1788 is not relevant to today’s white people.
It’s the day white Europeans began their attempt to systematically eradicate Aboriginal people and their culture from the face of the Earth. You’ve honestly got to be DENSE AS FUCK to truly not appreciate why they would not want to celebrate that.
No indigenous people were harmed on 26th January 1788. This is the day that modern Australia commenced. Every single person without a pure blood First Nations ancestry would not exist without this occasion.
Like it or not , we are all Australians now.
"...The whole point of Australia Day is celebrating when we were officially cast out of England ..."
Arguably that would be 1 January 1901 then ...... Australia became an independent nation on 1 January 1901 when the British Parliament passed legislation allowing the six Australian colonies to govern in their own right as part of the Commonwealth of Australia. Even thou Australia was established as a constitutional monarchy so on what level we are still shackled to the "old country".
You don’t consider being shipped in chains and transported halfway around the world to be abolished for “ the term of your natural life “ to constitute being cast out from England ?
Yep, 'DENSE AS FUCK' pretty much covers it. Perhaps too politely.
26th January 1788, the day Indigenous Australians were officially treated and classified as less than human, as lying, or just plain ignorant british thieves deliberately thrust a union jack emblazoned spear into their very human heart and soul.
No I don't. It's no reason to celebrate at all. The convicts were treated extremely badly on the mainland, but read about happened on Norfolk Island, it was a living hell for most. But the treatment of the Aboriginals was at another level. Even officers from visiting French ships at the time were appalled at their treatment and wrote at length at the brutality handed out.
I just reckon if we are to have a national day let it be for a good reason, one that we can all be good with.
Look, can we just cut to the chase here? Blowie is a fuckwit. Always was. It's just getting worse and more transparent is all.
Blindboy is finally getting it. Waste of fucken time.
The lady's not for turning.
Full of piss, wind and shit.
Blowinpedia.
And painting himself as a 'working class hero'?! Hah!
FFS.
Who's buying that?
He's the drunk dweeb at the bar chewing any unfortunate cunt's ear off with his 'truths'.
When all he ever wants is a connection, however tawdry and forced and ultimately embarrassing.
Poor bastard really.
Yeah, nah.
Oi!
Next...
Australia Day. Written in stone since 94.
1994.
Australian Aborigines record past trade with Chinese & South America journeys.
Over a 1000 years near all our nearby nations traded with Australia,
5,000bc Tonga (Paintings)/4,000 bc-India(dingo)
1000 China Tobacco...
1500 Tamils +Sri Lanka + Papuans + Macassan/Indonesian Island Nations...
1500 Sulawesi +Malay +Manila +Arab Nations...
1500 Portuguese + Spanish
1600 Dutch (Swede + French scholars) Travelled onboard Dutch Oz expeditions.
1600' (late) Japan digs into Australian Pearls.
(Just some of the recorded visitors before British ever knew our continent existed)
Religion/Languages had embedded into Australian culture pre Anglo Christianity.
Aborigines exported Pearls/Turtle shells/Spears/ Pine/Potato to the world.
Australia imported Tobacco/Grog/Calico/Fabric/Rice/Knives.
Australia wide trade is well documented. Regional ceremonial harvests fed 1,000s .
250 Language Nations / Trade routes to Major Stocks + Far reaching Smoke Signals
Rare that visitors to shore killed or were killed. (Records may uncover indifference?)
In fact from early shipwrecks to 1900 Aborigines were #1 proficient Lifeguards.
(Pause) How relevant to Australian History that another nation made it ashore?
1788 British being last nation to arrive or trade with Australia (Apart from Russia).
Celebrating this day ignores all nations/religions contact prior to this date and since.
What message does it send? Owning a Gun rewrites history. Let's drink to that!
Unlike all nations prior as far as we know! British had prisoners & weapons.
But their hatred for every other race & creature was their feared calling card.
Massacres of Aborigines + Horrid abuse/killings of Convicts + Wildlife extinction.
Every other race were lesser Apes,Monkeys... Irish Catholic Religion was banned.
Segregated Civic employment by Orange lodge > Masons > CWA
God Save the Queen Anthems & Irish Jokes ousted them alongside Aborigines.
Germans were tasked with slaving Aboriginal/Island labor to redevelop wastelands.
There was no say in the matter! Law of the Land decided which race for which land.
Chinese were also signalled out!
1850's Victoria charged 10 pound tax per Chinese to stem The Yellow Tide
Kicked off the mines to outta town tiny fringe plots.
White Australia Policy
Locking up of Italians during War...even America apologized ('Sorry Wogz!')
Child Migrants/Stolen Generation...we all know this ain't even half of it!
Fast Forward to today. Did we learn anything or are we now even bigger fuckwitts.
Now Australia Day itself is merely a political tool to further deny immigration.
Scomos politicized Australia Day scam spells the beginning of the end.
The PM is now Boss Hog wallowing in his Oz Day self pity. Historical Oz Lowpoint.
No wonder we feel more ashamed to be Australian with upsized bullshit Oz day!
Ive read a few times Australia day on Jan 26th is something of recent history.
Which is actually not true, all states excerpt NSW recognised Jan 26th as Australia day since 1935
1994 was the year the 26th officially became a public holiday (again), it seems before that it was a floating holiday and fell on various dates in late January often falling on the 26th (floating holiday between 1935 to 1993)
From 1838 to 1934 the 26th was actually a public holiday in NSW to mark the day (then called Anniversary day and was actually the first public holiday)
So its not true at all to say the date has no significance or is something that has come about recently.
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/australia-day
Partially correct indo. In my memory Australia Day was a holiday but there were no celebrations, no Australian flags and no real interest. It was in the 90s that it became a nationalistic celebration which kicked off the protests against it. So the significance has gone from near zero to 100.
I do remember in the 80s doing stuff at school for Australia day, but It does seem overall any event/day these days is celebrated more than before, even things like Melbourne cup or Halloween seem bigger than before, only day i remember that was bigger as a kid and now is not even a thing due to ban on sale of fireworks is Guy fawks night.
It's kind of irrelevant anyway people can choose to celebrate or partake in these things if they wish or choose not too, personally i don't bother in anyway.
Although i don't really celebrate Australia day or give Anzac day a passing thought, i think its good that there is focus on these days, even Christmas and Easter both religious events really, it would be a pretty boring year without all these dates.
To be honest until today i was cool with a date change as thought the 26th had little history but now knowing its not true, i don't think there should be a date change at most the public holiday should just be changed to a floating day again.
Indo,, Christmas is the solstice and Easter is the equinox, so feel free to celebrate like a good pagan.
Crew are onto this!
I stated above that prior to 1994 Oz day was always celebrated as Mad Monday.
[factcheck] 'Most' of Oz population have celebrated Oz day 'longer' in this manner.
Monday is Australia's 'traditional' way of Celebrating Australia Day in modern era.
You can't tear up every calendar so just accept the facts. Any day of week won't do!
Flexi date meant fewer arguments over day of shame.(Never the day only that date)
Sure OK so elite Top Brass licked their Aboriginal Massacre stampsets on Jan 26
The fanfare was a Happy Monday's affair.(None gave a ratz about Oz day date?)
Depending on State/school/holidays meant Ozwide celebrated different Mondays.
I'm sure you'll recall this was merely the default argument for eventual change.
'Mad Monday' mopped up the Aussie style long weekend piss-up. Cheers!
Recall nationwide Corps bitching about alternate long weekends sending Oz broke.
Costly outta whack extended Public Holidays was the bigger argument of the day.
Every State drums up Holiday changes for Queens Birthday/Labor Day/ShowDay
Just so happened that Australia Day was ripe for the picking.(No weird pride shit!)
Sure some Town Criers were demanding Patriotic fervour be whipped into shape.
So we beefed up the pomp for 1 Ozwide Day at Big end of Town request.
You'll note many Mad Mondays still linger in unruly forms, just not the big one.
A big Aussie apology to our Cuz NZ for being left off above Oz trade list.
I haven't got a start date for NZ trade with TAZ. Again it's noted well before British.
Late inclusion of Kiwis may well oust Aussies from their non Oz Day Hottest 100.
Tall Poppy Day! Now that's a fair dinkum Oz Day.(Fuck the Boss-Take the week off!)
@Indo re: your last posts here. That's all well and good but Howard used Australia Day for cynical political purposes feeding into his cultural wars and narrative of being "unAustralian". Liberal PMs including now Morrison have all continued the Howard tradition. Prior to Howard Australia Day was just a public holiday where people partied, very low key, a very "Australian" thing it was.
So for me it's the politicisation of the day by Howard and the LNP that has me annoyed.
Mark Twain .... Patriotism is usually the refuge of the scoundrel. He is the man who talks the loudest. 1908
Oh by the way, the first Aboriginal protests on "the day of mourning" were in 1938.
"Change the government, change the country."
When the government changed I was at an age of being acutely aware of the yoof's fashions and feelings, and there was an unmistakeable lurch toward ugly nationalism. Not at all like the joie de vivre on show during, for instance, the America's Cup win, or the sentiment Blowin expresses here, but a nasty defiance and pettiness that reached full bloom a few years later with Howard's wedge.
A horrible period of governance.
Sure the long weekend officially starts tomorrow, but patience has never been my strong suit and today is just too damn fine to waste with thoughts of routine So I’ve kicked this thing off early.
Actually started with a bang last night as another earthquake shook me from sleep. It was a stinker of a night . Building up to some monsoonal activity and the hot , still nights are here with a vengeance. Laying with the sheets bunched on the floor and the air from the fan brushing my skin.
Then I was woken by the Big Fella of the mob of greys that gets around the traps. He seemed to think that indoors was the place to be. First time I’ve seen a kangaroo trying to negotiate a fly screen door. Stupid prick.
Third event for the night and it sounds like someone’s after my tinny - the Sea Wok . Throw on some shorts and bolt down the path to investigate straight into an industrial sized spiders web. Still asleep , I actually feel the Big Golden orb running across my chest trying to escape.
The boat was fine . The spider and myself came to an agreement to stay the fuck away from each other from now on. Back to bed.
Woke up bleary to a perfect day. Northerly beats me to the punch . Surfing’s out so it’s coffees at the kiosk then a quick dive to spear some lunch.
Fish in the fridge , the days heating up and I’m planning on cracking my first beer at 14:30.
Feel free to join me.
Time to take stock of the incredible life we’ve got in this amazing country.
You might not like the premise, but I reckon this holiday rules. It’s the celebration of Australia at its peak. Everyone has let go of the old year and made inroads on the next. The craziness and release of the Chrissy / New Years is behind us and the summer has been wrung of every bit of fun available. The caravan parks and coastal towns are still chockers but the last hurrah is upon us. It’s been great and I’ve had a ball.
So raise a glass or an ice cream or a halal salad or whatever the fuck you want in recognition of how good we’ve got it here under Huey’s benevolent gaze.