Workers would have more days off and more choice about when they took them. Many Australians refer to January 26 as "Invasion Day." The controversy has led to a growing push to change the date of the country's national celebration to another day without the. Students attend school for 45 days, or about nine weeks, then take off for three weeks, or 15 school days. Sure, not everythings perfect in contemporary Australia; and its possible that Aboriginal life could have continued for some time without modernity bursting upon it, had governor Arthur Phillip not raised the Union flag and toasted the king on January 26, 1788, but its hard to imagine a better Australia in the absence of the Western civilization that began here from that date. These days the places are overrun with TV sets, stereos, fridges and all sorts of other noise-making devices. Anthony Dillon receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Climate and Nature. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on student's math and reading scores. This is part of a series examining Australian national identity, especially around the ongoing debate about Australia Day. In the United States, there's been a number of states who have ditched Columbus Day in favour of Indigenous People's Day. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. This was in spite of the fact that its estimated more than 500 First Nations groups had already inhabited the continent, with the total believed to be about 750,000 people. Letters may be edited. January 26: Australia Day vs Survival Day. As the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the NSW parliament and the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the Australian House of Representatives, Ms Burney says she sees the importance of having a national day, however it needs to be one all people can truly celebrate. 8. Christianity's history of brutality, conducted in the name of a man of peace, is longer than and as nasty as Islam's but this is never mentioned. Should our national day beheld on January 26, the day the Union Jack was raised at Port Jackson on the land of the Eora clans? Most of them have been read as 'implied rights' by the High Court. There are 364 other days to wear a black armband. Some students, even as old as eighth-graders, suffer from post-lunch attention deficit syndrome and . We've got so much to celebrate as a country. David Denham's measured tones (CT 14 February) bring in to sharp focus the consistent inconsistency of this ACT government. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is bad for your health. This used to be the greatest country on Earth, but weve lost the plot.. The latest poll from think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, found 69 per cent of Australians supported the January 26 holiday. Since Australia is an independent, democratic country, they assert that Australians should be able to vote who will symbolize them. But changing the date is not the answer. It only began to be a national public holiday in 1994 - making it a mere 27-year-old tradition. A 2015 report by the Brookings Institut ion found that, on the first day of DST, robbery rates fall by an average of 7 percent. All the pros and cons of climate change now, you can decide! Friction and resistance. The commemoration of this day has grown contentious in recent years as a result of a "change the date" campaign, in which supporters demand that Australia Day be moved from January 26 to May 9. If offended, there are a range of peaceful options, such as: a letter of complaint to the editor; never purchasing the publication again; a public demonstration in a nearby park; a boycott of companies advertising in the publication. I was so sorry to read of Mark Juddery's death (CT. Jan. 13). Leave allowance is calculated simply by multiplying the number of days worked a week by 5.6. Terrorists and the like, mainly gullible young men, feel free to behave badly with guns and bombs because they're sucked in by the teachings of the two major religions, Islam and Christianity. Mamamia only refers to January 26 by its date, to acknowledge that it is not a day of celebration for all Australians. Australians were once 'them' in their reactions to satirical attacks on what were then considered to be sacred cows. The pros and cons of the proposed change One of the more common arguments amongst those who are against raising the legal drinking age is that minors will always find a way to drink, and making it illegal for those under the age of 21 to drink at venues means they will simply drink elsewhere, and may not be as safe in the process. The Australian flag was chosen in 1901, when a competition was held to design our country's flag. One can only hope that the practical application of this will be demonstrated by the French government revoking the current law banning of headscarves and female Muslim dress in public places thereby returning to Muslim women the liberty and equality to choose how they dress in accordance with their beliefs and preferences. January 26 is fast approaching. Voting in federal elections and referendums is compulsory for every Australian aged 18 and over. Post continues below. Proponents of DST argue that longer evenings motivate people to get out of the house. A debate exists in Australia over whether the country should adopt a republican form of government and abandon its current constitutional monarchy. My sympathy and God's blessing to his grieving family. As of Feb. 2023, the average personal loan rate was 10.6 percent, while the average credit card rate was 19.91 percent . "Boost in patrons for Canberra's Nightrider bus service over Christmas", says The Canberra Times (January 11). The prime, simple reason for Australia Day staying put is that most Australians want it that way so they can salute their nation. A four day work week isn't a compressed work schedule, but rather reduced hours. And as we confront our history, re-write our curriculums, maybe the side of history we chose to honour on our national day changes too. 1. "When asked to choose which date Australia Day should be celebrated on, less than a quarter (23 per cent) chose the current date from a range of options," she said. While I see Australia Day as a day of celebration, it is also perfectly legitimate for people to take time to reflect on past injustices associated with the invasion. Suppose you are to travel outside the country for more than 28 days within a year. The guidelines of this competition included that the Union Jack and Southern Cross should appear on the flag. Not until 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently . Helps recruitment: Offering potential and existing employees a flexible working pattern will help attract and retain talented professionals. Sure, let's ensure appropriate recognition of the indigenous community and do what is necessary to right any wrongs which have occurred, but let's not lose sight of the fact that January 26 marks the beginning of the nation we all (indigenous, those born here and the more recent arrivals) call home. Around this time every year, as the end of January fast approaches, the conversation around the legitimacy of celebrating Australia Day on January 26 amps up. Changing sleep patterns, even by one hour, goes against a person's natural circadian rhythms and has negative consequences for health. For starters, if public servants are to be restricted to around 1.5per cent salary increases, is it fair to assume that the Remuneration Tribunal will follow suit with salaries of our political masters and not fiddle with allowances to muddy the waters? Warning: This article contains images of Indigenous people who have died. We tell our kids what happened to their ancestors, communities and families on this day and the impacts this has had and how this may have potentially impacted why they are in the out of home care system themselves, he says. So while we're inevitably going to be caught in this change the date, abolish the date, or keep the date debate for a number of years yet, maybe the American record shows us where we are headed and it'll be the younger generations taking us there. ", Or as one Torres Strait Islander elder said: "I don't need one day to celebrate, I am always celebrating my culture and customs, I celebrate being the First Australian every day.". For anyone who has had an awkward conversation with an older relative at a family barbecue, that's probably not so hard to believe. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activist Calma said he felt the conservative Morrison government was rushing to make changes to Australia Day before it likely loses power at a national election due to take place before May. But decisions made by elected governments - especially in areas such as education, health and energy - impact young people too. Not a lawyer: Lisa relied on 10 to fact-check, Aussie fans X-rated quip to Harry Styles. Let's celebrate. But by having that celebration on January 26, we're tying it to British settlement and positioning that invasion (in Reconciliation Australia's words) as "the primary source of Australian identity and pride.". Every year, January 26 rolls around, and each time the same debate about our national day floods the country's consciousness and for some of us it can feel tiringly predictable. It's getting harder and harder to find peace and quiet anywhere. So for me its a difficult day and I dont want to celebrate it. Lecturer, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University. For lack of a bin they throw it on the ground. Australian Catholic University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. Too many people forget that a tent is not a wall. The national online poll canvassed the views of 1222 Australians between January 19 and January 22 on their views on changing the Australia Day date, its importance to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians and to what extent they think Indigenous Australians face racism in Australia today. 2. In recent years there has been a call by left-wing groups to move the date to a less controversial day. Change Management Pros and Cons. In calling for a change to the date of Australia Day (yes, it's that time of the year again) Ester Gaia (CT, January 13) uses the emotive "British invasion and occupation" language to try to reduce the significance of the date. On Sunday 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Menzies declared to the nation that Australia was at war with Germany. Is it time for Australia to move its national day of celebration? 6 important facts every Australian should know about January 26. The list could go on, but no degree of offence to one's religious beliefs justifies slaughtering anyone not the cartoonists, not police providing protection, and not people shopping in a supermarket. People take part in an "Invasion Day" rally on Australia Day in Melbourne on January 26, 2018. The UK is not on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year. It is no longer a secret: Australia is an expensive country to live in, and accommodation is a big part of this cost. There is no excuse for the attack on Charlie Hedbo. Opposition lawmakers accused Morrison of playing politics with Australias national day and TV commentators questioned the Prime Minister on whether it was a big enough issue to require top-level decrees. The downsides of going cashless include less privacy, greater exposure to hacking, technological dependency . Keep your letter to 250 words or less. Stick with a simple "Hello/Hi" and "How are you?" There are not many topics that are taboo or off limits in Australia. Those figures have grown in recent years, suggesting, as a nation, we are becoming more prepared to face the brutal colonial legacy of this country. For younger Australians who were taught a more inclusive history at school, or have been educated by music, movies or social media, it looks like this change is already happening. "Spring forward or fall back" is just one way to remember which way set the clocks for Daylight Saving Time (DST). Economy, education, and health are all at a high level. Those are people who cannot cheer for a country that was built on the dispossession and loss of their people. Just over 26 per cent of our 24 million Australians were born overseas and many were granted their citizenship on January 26. I am firmly of the view that if the decision was being made today, the 26th of January would not be the date chosen, because I think Australia is moving progressively to want to know the full story of this country, she says. During Daylight Saving Time the correct time zone is British Summer Time (BST). Why do many countries set the clocks back and forth an hour twice a year? Consider the celebration of Christmas Day. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Today, Indigenous peoples are still recovering from the chain of events that were set in motion on that day in 1788. Australia is no longer a country that acts as part of the British Empire. And for those whose history is being denied, this isn't a war of words, but an exhausting yearly exercise in defending the pain of their existence. In this article the truth is January 26 should be first fleet day, not Australia day by Smith in the. Mitigation of gender inequality. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images), MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26 : Australian Actress Shareena Clanton (2nd R) raises her hand, during a protest organized by Aboriginal rights activists on Australia Day in Melbourne, Australia on January 26, 2017. Did you encounter any technical issues? There's a lot of polling done on attitudes towards Australia Day, and the results vary depending on whose views are being canvassed. According to a 2017 survey, less than 45% of individuals ages 19 and older received a flu vaccination. Read the full article on The Conversation. The Australian community has charged us with progressing the issue. The woman claiming she may be Madeleine McCann has hit back at Polish police, after they ruled out her version of events to be true. Brendan O'Loughlin of Cook (Letters, January 13) might use one of his proposed extra four public holidays to work on his reading and comprehension skills. There too, the debate has been playing out for decades, with the social dial slowly shifting. It was nice to read Jack Waterford's more balanced and humanist appraisal (Times2, January 14) of the issues that surround the Charlie Hebdo incident. Attention Deficit and Fatigue. Cook is often credited as the first European to discover Australia. SHOULD THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG BE CHANGED? (Through awareness and truth telling) about this day, believe we will all be able to find reconciliation here in Australia. The 28-year-old is the CEO and founder of Aboriginal-led mentoring program ID Know Yourself. According to a 2014 Rasmussen Report, only 33% of Americans see the purpose of DST. You may see it as tokenism, but to many, it's a signal of that understanding, of a willingness to move forward together as a unified country. 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