Perth Voice Interactive

HERE we go again! 

Yes, it is that time of the year again where Australia Day is in the spotlight and under scrutiny, with supporters and opponents of it making a political football of the historic day. 

It is even worse this year because there will be a federal election soon, so Liberal leader Peter Dutton has forcefully announced that if the Liberals win the election, they will make it compulsory again for local councils to hold Australia Day citizenship ceremonies on January 26. 

They also insisted on that under the Scott Morrison government, threatening that local councils would no longer be allowed to conduct any citizenship ceremonies, unless they also held one on Australia Day. 

The debate if we should celebrate the start of colonisation of this continent has been raging for a long time, as it is considered invasion day by our First Nations People. 

It is also questionable how significant January 26 is for other states and territories, as the date is all about the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson, on the east coast. 

The First Fleet sailed from England on 13 May 1787 and arrived at Botany Bay eight months later, on 18 January 1788. 

Governor Arthur Phillip rejected Botany Bay, and chose Port Jackson instead, to the north, as the site for the new colony, where they arrived  on 26 January 1788.

The colonisation of the west coast was 41 years later, on June 1829 by Captain James Stirling, right here at Fremantle’s Bathers Bay. 

The Proclamation Tree is at the intersection of Adelaide and Parry Street, in front of the St Patrick’s Basilica. 

So why is January 26 historically significant for Western Australia, and why is that date offensive for our WA indigenous people as the celebration of our nation? It really is an irrelevant date for most Australians who do not live in NSW.

Dutton’s bluster about citizenship ceremonies on January 26 is populist nonsense, as many councils and shires never held them on that date, partly due to not wanting local government staff to have to work on a public holiday, and the additional costs associated with that.

Fremantle council was one of the first local councils to abandon Australia Day celebrations and scrapped the popular Cracker Night fireworks at the Fishing Boat Harbour. 

There are several citizenship ceremonies in Fremantle throughout the year, one of them two days before Australia Day, where the citizens of the year are also announced. 

So what really is the big deal of forcing councils to conduct them on a certain day, but for political grandstanding and vote grabbing? 

The main issue is that many people have different opinions of when and why we should celebrate our national day and how we can find a date that is less divisive for some, and more relevant for other parts of Australia. 

Some Aboriginal leaders have no issue with the January 26 date, but other indigenous people protest on that day and hold alternative events, such as the Survival Concert on the Perth foreshore. 

The City of Fremantle organised One Day in Fremantle events a few days after Australia Day, but after a few great concerts on the Esplanade, unexplainably turned them into a celebration of Whadjuk Nyoongar culture and history. 

That offended those who wanted Australia Day fun in our port city.

The major issue with having a rational debate about finding a better date to celebrate our nation’s achievements, that is important to the whole of Australia, is that is has become a political football, with accusations of racism and insensitivity. 

As a mature nation we should be able to debate this respectfully and without aggression. 

But is anyone really listening, or is it just about shouting, grand standing, and grabbing news headlines?  

Roel Loopers/FREOVIEW