With Prime Minister Scott Morrison starting to back-pedal on his idea for a new national day to celebrate Indigenous people and culture, the Guardian News approached Gumbaynggirr woman and academic, Chels Marshall, for her views on the question of our National Day.
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“There are a number of dates, other dates, that would be appropriate,” Chels said.
“For example, in March 1966, after a review of immigration policy, the Harold Holt government effectively dismantled the White Australia policy allowing non-European migrants, including refugees from the Vietnam War, to come to Australia.
“Then in 1973 Gough Whitlam implemented amendments restricting the enforcement of racial aspects of the immigration law.
“Both of these milestones meant ethnic groups were accepted and brown-skinned people could come into Australia.
“I think we need to take the Aboriginal issue out of the debate, because really this is an Australian issue.”
Choose a date that is inclusive to everyone … such as when White Australia was abolished
- Chels Marshall
She said as a society we had reached this fork in the road, where we either collectively advance with modern ideas or we stay stuck in ‘business-as-usual’, which she described as ‘devolution’.
“It is silly to propose that having separate national days, one on January 26 and another for Aboriginal people, is an advancement of Australia.”
Cutting to the very nub of the issue Chels asks: “Anyway, who on earth celebrates the demise of another person’s culture?”
“January 26 is when the British empire made a prison colony here on behalf of Great Britain – and that is what it remained until Federation on January 1, 1901.
“We weren’t a nation prior to that. January 26 celebrates when Terra Nullius was established – which is a fake and false view of this country’s history.
“Choose a date that is inclusive to everyone … such as when White Australia was abolished. We need this colonial attitude, this old way of thinking to shift – it is not a useful paradigm, it needs to change.”
Chels had one more suggestion, in the larrikin spirit of the country - May 8 (mate)!