I love Australia. I was born here, have grown up here, spent my 20s taking road trips up and down the east coast, surfing, working on farms, enjoying all that this beautiful land has to offer. I now have a family who benefit from a safe and prosperous society. We can live out our dreams with a promise of a bright tomorrow. We are lucky. We want to acknowledge and celebrate this.
But I can no longer get behind celebrating Australia on a day which marks the beginning of the end for the First Australians’ way of life. I am no longer able to put on the Paul Kelly, get out the cricket bat and stumps, the eski, and my flags with a Union Jack on them, and celebrate on a day which is so offensive to so many.
It’s time. Time for a new beginning. We need a new republic, with a local head of state, under a new flag. Let’s keep it simple, and dispense with the Union Jack and that other imperial symbol – the seven pointed star. Let’s keep the Southern Cross on the blue background; something that unites all Australians and is common to us all. Australia Day will be celebrated on the day of the birth of this new republic. Any day will do. How about 23 June, the first day after the winter solstice, a new beginning?
Rohan, Really?. Get over it.
That’s a very cartoon level view of what is going on. What ever your compromise is, they will be back in a few years demanding more. Appeasement will not work. It’s no about ‘reconciliation’. It’s not about Aboriginals at all.