Welcome to Dig Deeper, a content series allowing you to dive as deep as you like into topics that are underserved in the current media landscape but need and deserve more coverage and attention.
Its purpose is to shed light on important community-based issues facing minority groups. To start with, we’re having honest and open conversations around January 26, the national mood and changing the date.
Warning: This article deals with the topic of targeted violence against certain groups and may be triggering for some readers.
January 26: It’s one of Australia’s most divisive days. More and more Australians continue to change their minds over whether this date is an appropriate time to celebrate ‘Australia Day’. Because, when it comes to this tradition, what exactly are we celebrating?
According to the ABC’s Australia Talks National Survey 2021, a whack of people now believe Australia Day should not be celebrated on January 26, given the historical significance of the date for First Nations peoples.
Back in 2019, 28% of respondents were strongly in favour of seeing a shift from the date. In 2021, this number jumped up to 39%.
This shift became about as more folks became conscious and alert to the ugliness that followed the invasion of the land we now call Australia in 1788. A lot has happened in the last few years which has forced us to reflect on our values and the racial inequality of the world we still live in.
In June 2020, following the death of Black man George Floyd at the hands of the American police in Minnesota, Black Lives Matter protests occurred around the world, including here in Australia. This movement sparked a number of much-needed conversations — including the ways in which systemic racism operates within this country.
At the time, many people pledged to educate themselves on what it takes to be an effective anti-racist ally.
Moreover, another fire was lit when a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, Cassius Turvey, died in 2022. Turvey was walking home from school with his mates when he was allegedly called racial slurs and hit with a metal pole. He later died in hospital. This event communicated how broken Australia still is.
Australia Day Resistance
For many people, January 26 means two things: a public holiday and a boozy BBQ celebration. For First Nations people, this is a day of mourning called Invasion Day. The disparity between these two experiences couldn’t be starker.
While many Australians argue that we have much to celebrate about this country, it shouldn’t come at the expense of our First Nations peoples. Seeing how this negatively affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be enough for white Australians to understand the importance of changing the date. The fact that it isn’t is an interesting glimpse into the chasm of systemic racism.
Additionally, the origins of celebrating Australia Day on January 26 don’t actually date back that far. According to the official Australia Day website, all states and territories didn’t use the name ‘Australia Day’ to mark the occasion until 1935. Meanwhile, 1994 was the year that all Australian states and territories began to “celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday” on January 26.
What Can Be Done
Now, there are two lines of thinking when it comes to this date. One is to scrap the celebration completely, which, given that Australia is rooted in colonialism, and any celebration of it would be celebrating this fact is a fair argument. Cancelling the commemoration completely would move the conversation around racism forward in this country, while also highlighting the needs of First Nations peoples. It might not be the easiest sell, however.
“It’s important to understand that colonialism is still ongoing. Having an alternative date will still mean they are celebrating the colonial project here in so-called Australia,” Ruby Wharton, (Gamilaraay Kooma), member of the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance and the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy, told Clothing the Gap, a Victorian Aboriginal owned and led social enterprise.
“We need to abolish Australia Day and change the discourse – it shouldn’t be a day of celebration but a day of remembrance.”
The second argument is to change the date of the Australia Day celebration, moving any sort of revelry away from a day that is devastating for Indigenous people. The opinions on these two options are incredibly mixed and each person has their own take on the issue. Kamilaroi man and Channel 9 sports journalist, Jake Duke told Clothing the Gap that he would like to see the date of Australia Day changed.
“There are many other options that would be far more unifying and inclusive,” Duke said.
“Even if the date is a floating one every year – the same way Easter or the Melbourne Cup is decided. I still think it should remain in January so that people can enjoy a public holiday in summer and celebrate all the things that are great about being Australian. I would also like to see January 26 marked as a far more sombre occasion. A day to reflect on the dark parts of our history, so we can move forward together as a nation.”
Not-for-profit organisation Australians Together has a similar train of thought, writing: “It’s true, that as Australians, we should be able to come together and celebrate the things about our nation that we’re proud of and grateful for.
“However, celebrating these things on the 26th of January can divide us as Australians by marginalising and offending many Indigenous people who see this date as commencing a chain of events that had disastrous consequences for many Indigenous people.”
The triple j Example
In 2017, national youth radio station triple j announced it was moving its annual Hottest 100 music countdown from January 26 to another date close by. In this announcement, triple j said it could no longer ignore the issue after a survey conducted by the station revealed that 60% of listeners wanted the Hottest 100 moved to a different date.
“As the public broadcaster representing all Australians, triple j and the ABC doesn’t take a view in the discussions,” triple j said in a statement. “However, in recent years the Hottest 100 has become a symbol in the debate about Australia Day. The Hottest 100 wasn’t created as an Australia Day celebration.”
This move was criticised, with the Resources Minister at the time, Matt Canavan, calling it “a disgraceful decision”. Former Federal Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield, also joined the conversation, saying he was “bewildered” by the decision. Fifield also wrote to the Chair of the ABC urging the station to reconsider.
“The ABC shouldn’t be buying into this debate,” Fifield said at the time. “Australia Day is our national day. The ABC should honour it and not mess with the Hottest 100.”
Six years later, triple j’s Hottest 100 is just as popular, despite not occurring on January 26 and there’s barely been any discussion about the date change since. For all the outrage seen from politicians at the time, this change hasn’t undermined Australia Day or caused them to rethink the conversation.
What’s the Point of Changing the Date?
A common argument about changing the date is questioning what it will actually achieve. For white Australians, changing the date will simply mean coming together on a different day and the public holiday would still take place. For First Nations peoples, changing the date would acknowledge the pain associated with January 26. Indigenous designer, artist and activist, Rachael Sarra, explained the importance of this on Instagram.
“The date change is like the key to your house, you need it to open the front door,” Sarra wrote. “Changing the date is not the outcome nor is it a magical cure to generational trauma, but it is the key in changing mindsets.
“It’s key because changing the date of Australia is an invitation, it’s an invitation for us mob to feel at home in our own country. It is NOT a deportation letter to those who don’t identify. Changing the date is accountability, it’s saying that we f**ked up, real bad. But we are ready to rectify this.
“We are willing to look at our bias, and we are ready to put your needs first because we know we could have done better. Changing the date is saying, we trust you to determine your own lives, we value your knowledge, and most importantly, it’s saying we don’t want you to hurt anymore at the hands of our celebration. Australia Day does not exist on January 26.
“January 26 is the legacy of the horrific past and the connection of this trauma to the present. Change the Date and we will dismantle the systems and structures that oppress us.”
By moving Australia Day to another date, what are we losing? Nothing. By moving Australia Day to another date, what is the Indigenous community gaining? A lot. So, how do we go about actually making this change? First of all, adding your voice to this conversation helps to make it a lot louder. Much like the work you need to do to become an effective anti-racist ally, having conversations about this with your family and friends brings the issue to the forefront.
Who Can Change Australia Day?
From a political standpoint, there are a few ways to move Australia Day. According to the ABC, it’s the Premier who actually has the power to change public holidays in their state, so writing letters to bring this to the attention of your state government is a start. You could also lobby your local council to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on January 26.
In 2016, Fremantle Council voted to change its Australia Day celebrations out of respect for Indigenous Australians, while Byron Shire Council in New South Wales has moved some of its festivities from January 26. According to SBS, Yarra Council and Darebin Council in Melbourne also voted to cancel citizenship ceremonies on this date for the same reason.
All of these decisions were criticised by the federal government at the time. Additionally, former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, wasn’t interested in changing the date either, saying, “Australia Day is 26 January. That was the day that Australia’s course changed forever”.
“You don’t pretend your birthday was on a different day… you look at your whole life’s experience,” Morrison said. “Your achievements and a few scars and from some mistakes and things that you could have done better.”
While it’s undoubtedly an uphill battle to get governments to listen, it’s not impossible, which is why pressure needs to be continually applied for them to listen. Write letters to your elected officials and demand change. Let your local MPs know that this is an issue that is important to you. Check out our tips for writing to your MP here.
What You Should Do on January 26?
When it comes to January 26, instead of organising a party with friends, consider attending an Invasion Day rally. These are held every year around the country and allow you to support First Nations people on an upsetting day.
Consider also using January 26 as an opportunity to donate to an Indigenous organisation or charity, take in anti-racist resources, and refresh yourself on how to support BIPOC in the long term.
It’s time to rethink our decision to celebrate a day that is painful for so many.
Related: Why the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Isn’t Going to Be as Straightforward as You Think
Related: Know Better, Do Better: The Best Aussie Podcasts to Educate Yourself on Indigenous History
If this article brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or you have experienced targeted violence, please contact Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), both of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.