Australia Correspondent Aziz Al Sa’afin explains why the country’s national day has become a heated topic of conversation.
Australia, much like its neighbour New Zealand, has a national public holiday that recognises the founding of the country.
Officially, it’s known as Australia Day. But some prefer to call it “Invasion Day”.
What is Australia Day?
Australia Day has evolved into a day to acknowledge the country’s history.
Observed on January 26 every year, it commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, marking the beginning of British sovereignty over the Indigenous Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples.
Amid sports events and concerts, thousands also rallied to back indigenous calls for racial justice and change. (Source: 1News)
First celebrated as far back as 1808, it officially became known as Australia Day in 1935 and was declared a public holiday in 1994.
A contentious date
For many, especially Indigenous Australians, January 26 is not a day of celebration but one of mourning.
First Nations peoples regard it as the start of colonisation, which led to the oppression of their culture, land theft, “stolen generations” of Indigenous children being removed from their families, and massacres of entire communities.
In recent years, some Indigenous people and their supporters have flown the Aboriginal flag at half-mast and worn black clothing on Australia Day to mourn their ancestors.
Their actions reflect a call by many to change the date of Australia Day or abolish the celebrations.
Increasingly, workplaces in Australia have allowed employees to substitute this public holiday for a different day, either individually, or collectively as an entire workplace.
Public opinion and debate
Recent polls show most Australians still support celebrating on January 26.
Australia’s Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) found 63% of people wanted Australia Day to be celebrated, while only 17% did not.
The poll mirrored the result of the recent failed Voice to Parliament referendum, which was opposed by 60% of voters.
Alternative dates?
Suggestions for alternative dates for a national celebration include January 1, marking the date Australia’s six British colonies became one country in 1901, or May 9, when the first Australian parliament opened that same year.
A new year of controversy
The Woolworths Group made headlines last week by deciding not to stock Australian-themed merchandise and opting to instead fly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at some of its key locations. It said it would continue to sell Australian flags all year round.
Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci told Channel 9’s Today show that declining demand for the products in recent years was behind the decision. He added that “we could have done a better job explaining” the decision to customers.
In response, Australia’s Opposition leader Peter Dutton called for a boycott of Woolworths. Speaking on 2GB Radio, Dutton said he would strongly advise customers to take their business “elsewhere, to IGA, to Coles or Aldi”.
Unfortunately for Dutton, Aldi announced it too wouldn’t be stocking Australia Day merchandise or have day-specific specials in store. The supermarket chain previously stocked a wide range of flags, floaties, and other holiday paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, an attack on a century-old statue of Captain Cook in St Kilda, Victoria, yesterday is being seen as a protest over Australia Day.
The bronze statue was sawed off at the ankles with the words “the colony will fall” spray painted across its plinth.
The Queen Victoria monument in Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens was also splashed with red paint a short time after.
Concerts, festivals, and citizenship ceremonies
Despite the controversy, Australia Day remains the country's largest annual civic event, marked by citizenship ceremonies, the Australia Day Honours List and the Australian of the Year awards the day before.
Historically more people have become citizens on Australia Day than any other day of the year, but this year will look a little different.
In 2022, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese scrapped the rules which forced local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26, and this year, 81 councils chose not to participate.
What next?
As Australia Day continues to be both celebrated and protested, the nation grapples with both its identity and history.
The day remains largely a time for reflection on what it means to be Australian, a question that clearly still divides the country.
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