Call to replace Australia Day

THE country needs consider a more inclusive national holiday to replace Australia Day, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) say.

ANTaR national director Jacqueline Phillips said the day is regarded by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Invasion or Survival Day.

"On January 26, a British naval officer, Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack over Sydney without the consent of the first peoples," Ms Phillips said.

"Until we choose a more appropriate national holiday, our aspirations for a modern, reconciled nation will be difficult to realise."

ANTaR says it has sent a message of support to those at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, which turns 40.

Four Aboriginal men - Michael Anderson, Billy Craigie, Bertie Williams and Tony Coorey - set up the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, opposite Old Parliament House in Canberra, at 1am on January 27, 1972.



The foursome camped underneath a beach umbrella in protest of the McMahon Liberal Government's refusal to recognise Aboriginal land rights.

Over the years the issues of sovereignty became central to the embassy's ongoing protest.

"Forty years on, the Tent Embassy remains a powerful symbol of the Aboriginal struggle for equality, rights, recognition and sovereignty," Ms Phillips.

"It is a reminder of how far we have come but also how far we have to go to secure a truly equal place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait people in this country."

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/call-to-replace-australia-day/story-...

If the British didn't claim Australia the French would have done instead.  In fact, had a certain French ship not developed holes in its sails whilst on its way to Australia, forcing it to have to stop for repairs, then Australia would have become French rather than British.

Aussies would now be speaking French, be calling their vast land "l'Australie", have the French tricolour in the top left hand corner of their flag, be supping poncy wine rather than ale (a man's drink), throw childish temper tantrums when things don't go their way, be living under the Napoleonic Code (guilty until proven innocent) rather than English Common Law (innocent until proven guilty) and think nothing of eating frogs, snails and horses, all garnished with garlic.

Just perish the though.

Cofgod wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 5:08am:



New Brittany would be a proud individual republic by now, rather than worshiping a german/british family, who's only claim for fame is to show how inbreeding is just the result of a superiority complex.

We would be able to win the Soccer World Cup ... be close allies with South America, and able to spit and hit an englishman twenty paces away.

And our heritage would not be one filled of crims and murderers. Viva La New Brittany

It was NOT an 'invasion'.

Those P/C do-gooders who suggest that it WAS, have NFI.

longweekend58 wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 7:15am:



Compared to a society who disenfranchises it's old, it's young. A society who's bases is greed and keeping others down while exploiting it's environment to the precipice of collapse.

If 30 was an elder, how come our museums show many aboriginals in early photos older than thirty.

A lie to try and cover up the abuse the invader has done.

Today is invasion day ... always will be.

____ wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 7:31am:



And to show how truly sorry we are; we will mark this sad occassion with beer and BBQ chops.

Either they (murris) can get over it or not, ultimately the choice is theirs, nothing to do with the rest of us.

The politics of guilt has had its day 20 years ago, time to find a new way of making us feel bad for being born white, good luck with that. 

freediver wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 7:37am:



How about De-Wogging day; it's when most immigrants get their De-Wogging Papers. They become part of the the one big happy family that is Australia. 

____ wrote on Jan 26^th, 2012 at 7:31am:


Greens, for someone living here, you shhow a marked dislike for Australia and it's peoples and society.....of course there's an easy answer....you know where the door is....