Thousands attend SA’s 2024 Survival Day rally at Victoria Square, with push to change the date
Victoria Square erupted in scenes of support for changing the date, with thousands taking to the streets for a Survival Day rally yesterday. See how many attended.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Thousands of South Australians gathered at Tarntanyangga (Victoria Square) for this year’s Survival Day march, with a push to change the date of the public holiday taking centre stage.
Organisers’ expectations were exceeded with more than 5000 attendees at the event, which recognises January 26 as a day of mourning for many First Nations people.
Many dressed in clothing bearing the Indigenous flag and with handpainted signs emblazoned with: “Not a date to celebrate”.
Pro-Palestine supporters also joined the rally, waving Palestinian flags in solidarity with Indigenous communities.
Marches were organised in every state and territory on Friday, as many choose not to mark the national holiday and protest January 26 as the country’s national day of celebration.
The event opened with a smoke ceremony followed by a minute of silence and a short speech by Mark Aldridge, a representative from Indigenous empowerment group Black Death Australia.
“There’s still a long way to go to being treated with the respect we deserve,” Mr Aldridge said.
Mr Aldridge used his speech to criticise last year’s failed Voice to Parliament vote, saying the expectation for Indigenous people to vote – when some of the “bushmen” in remote locations were not registered and lacked knowledge around the voting system – was a symbol of “tokenism”.
The activist said the rushed nature of the The Voice had let First Nations Australians down.
“We have this tokenism of trying to make things better but even in their abstract design of that, it’s not enough,” he said.
The heaving crowd marched toward Elder Park just before midday, with chants of “always was, always will be Aboriginal land” echoing through King William St.
Glenelg man Damien Ralphs said he had mixed feelings about “Survival Day”, as he came from mixed heritage.
“My father is British and my mother is of indigenous heritage, from two different lands in Victoria,” Mr Ralphs said.
“It’s hard to reconcile with myself.”
Friend Janelle Egan, from Semaphore, said the pair came every year and used the commemoration to catch up with friends and organisers of the event.
“We’re here to recognise that it’s a day of mourning but also to just see the community come together,” she said.
Parafield Gardens mother Monica Russell attended the rally with her three children Rex, 8, Daisy, 2, and Delilah, 3, in a show of support for First Nations people, while protester Daniel Morgan carried a hybrid Southern Cross-Indigenous flag.
“I’ve been explaining it to my kids all week – the stolen generation and the generational trauma that it’s caused,” Ms Russell said.
After the brief march, the crowd reconvened at Victoria Square, where speakers called on rally attendees to demand more from the country’s political leaders.
Narungga Elder Aunty Joan Lamont ignited the crowd with bold words for SA’s politicians: “You don’t work for yourselves, you work for us and for the betterment of all of us.”
Speakers also addressed Aboriginal remains uncovered at a burial ground at a Riverlea housing development last October, with Aunty Susan Dickson calling for the bodies to be released back to First Nations people.
“We want those bodies returned to country,” she said.
“They don’t belong in a shipping container.”
The day’s speeches also addressed high incarceration rates of Indigenous people, with Ms Dickson saying First Nations Australians were being failed by a system they felt “up against”, rather than supported by.
All speakers called upon the Indigenous community to take on a more active role when voting for elected politicians, by making more informed choices.
“Make sure you are voting for people that are accessible to us,” she said. “No point voting for people who aren’t accessible to us.
“A lot of laws are made for us, without us, without any consultation … vote for people that are gonna put your community first.
“Activism has got to be 365 days in a year. It can’t just be one day.”
Earlier on Friday, SA’s two biggest sporting clubs weighed in on the Australia Day debate, with the Power’s stance on changing the date stronger than ever.
Former Port Adelaide player and musician Marlon Motlop said he hoped to see the “conversation shift” around January 26, likening the date to a “party you’re not invited to”.
“Essentially, there’s been a party going on ever since I’ve been alive, and we’ve not been included,” Motlop told Nova’s Jodie and Haysey.
“It’s like going to a barbecue and everyone’s talking and having a discussion, but you’re not allowed to speak in the discussion because you don’t feel included – that’s what it feels like as an Aboriginal person.
“We’re seeing a lot of organisations and a lot of the community opting out of having celebrations on that day, which is great to hear.
“It’s got to shift, the way that we talk about Jan 26 … within our homes, at our dinner tables, with our families and with our young people so, in five to 10 years’ time, we see some significant change around the country.”
Unexpected heavy rain across Adelaide forced the cancellation of Australia Day events on Thursday night, with the Aus Lights on the River event at 5pm and the Twilight Reflections event at 7.30pm both scrapped due to wild weather.
‘Not-so-Magnificent 7’: Teen gang’s joy ride goes badly wrong
A group of seven children aged between 13 and 16 will face court on Thursday after police were forced to spike a stolen car and call in the dog squad.
Back to school: Humiliating lesson for ‘toxic’ Adelaide council
A “toxic” culture of bullies is running wild at one of Adelaide’s most affluent councils, lawyers have found – and its CEO agrees they need to learn a lesson.