Australia Day

Well, this is my first Australia Day on foreign soil. Normally it wouldn't mean much to me but, as I've mentioned before, living abroad heightens emotions like pride and shame.

Last year I spent Australia Day running the Greens stall at Glenbrook (before going to Steffan's for a kangaroo BBQ!). I insisted that if we were to participate it should be with respect to indigenous Australians and so I made a "Sorry" banner. We got quite a few positive comments and no negative feedback at all. But of course much more is required. Some people have already taken to calling 26th January "Invasion Day", which is not too misleading but I would prefer to give it an upbeat tone. What would be best would be for the government to sign a treaty with Aboriginal groups on 26th January so that it becomes a double-anniversary -- Treaty Day.

A little while ago I was talking to an Indian friend and we were surprised to find that our countries have national days on the same date -- India has Republic Day on 26th January. That name is self-explanatory but he had to ask what it was we were celebrating on Australia Day. When I told him that it was the date the First Fleet landed he was surprised and asked, without thinking who I was, "Why would you want to celebrate something as terrible as colonialism?!" I had to explain that, although I don't like the way it things happened, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for British colonialism. Still, it's a great irony that our two countries celebrate opposites on the same date. Hopefully soon we will celebrate an Australian Republic Day; it could replace the Queen's birthday.