Cobram Courier readers voice opinion on Australia Day date change

By Gabriel Garcia

Jan 15, 2024

It used to be a day of national celebration, but these days, Australia Day is almost better known as a day of national division.

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With January 26 just around the corner, the national debate over whether Australia should change the date is once again being discussed around the country.

As of December 2023, around 80 local government areas nationwide had decided not to partake in Australia Day activities.

Around 15 of those are in Victoria.

Just down the road, Greater Shepparton Council will not hold any official events after it voted to cease hosting and supporting Australia Day activities on January 26.

On the other hand, Moira Shire still plans to celebrate the national holiday with its traditional awards and citizenship ceremonies.

To gauge local opinion, the Courier asked its Facebook followers if they felt the date should be changed.

The majority of responders said they would prefer it to stay the same. Of 45 initial comments (not including replies), 38 wanted to keep the date, and seven said they would like it to change.

Facebook responses

Annette Mcleod

No. Don’t stuff around with Australia Day or Anzac Day.

Maureen Davis

Leave it be.

Jane Hellis

Absolutely no, it should not be moved.

Lawrie Dughetti

Leave it as is. Nothing wrong with it.

Marcus Nunan

People would never agree on a suitable date if the current date is changed. Why not have a referendum. “ Should Australia Day be changed”. The vote would be a resounding no. The wokesters, Teals and activists would cop another beating.

Steven Dalitz

Solution is make it 4th Friday or Monday of January. The holiday used to be that way. Why is the 26th so important to anyone. Ridiculous having a mid week holiday for business. Positive is we get three day weekend every year.

Peter Sutton

Yes. The reasons are this.

1. A national day should recognise and celebrate the achievements of a nation. The date of January 26 commemorates the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.

2. It marked the establishment of the Colony of New South Wales. An outpost of a far off empire and a penal colony at that.

3. A committee in 1915 set dates in July.

4. Most of us do not have a good historical knowledge. Other colonies and states had different days. Eg Tasmania has Regatta Day, South Australia Proclamation Day, Western Australia Foundation Day.

5. Better dates would be May 9. On this day in 1901 our first Parliament sat at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building then moved to Victoria’s Parliament. Why this date? Self government as a mature independent country, not a Colonial offshoot.

March 3 is a good day. Still warm enough. Celebrates March 3, 1986 when the British, Australian and state territory parliaments passed the Australia Acts. It removed the last constitutional vestiges.

When the Australian Constitution and federation was approved it was an Act of the British Parliament at Westminster. Theoretically it could have amended that Act. To remove doubts the Australia Acts were passed.

6. All states and territories did not use January 26 until 1935.

7. It does not represent Cook, or the arrival of the First Fleet. They arrived days before at Botany Bay.

8. Indigenous Australians were not counted in the census or recognised as citizens until the referendum of May 1967.

The best date would be January 1 as (on) January 1, 1901 the nation federated. Australia as a country was born that day. Realistically though, being New Years Day it’s not going to happen.

I value our British heritage and past, I respect our institutions. Like a child however, we have matured, we have grown up.

We need to celebrate Australia Day as a celebration of Australia.