Ellyse Perry calls for more education around Australia Day debate

Her national teammate has been outspoken against Australia Day and superstar Ellyse Perry says the debate around change is important for everyone.

Australian star Ellyse Perry opted against joining Pat Cummins and Steve Smith in calling for change to Australia Day instead hoping the all-conquering women’s team can continue to educate themselves to ensure they best represent the country’s incredibly diverse community.

Both Cummins and Smith declared this week that January 26 was not the right date to celebrate the national holiday, Smith having taken his view after speaking to Test teammate Scott Boland who has indigenous heritage.

The date has become a highly divisive issue, with star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, Perry’s national teammate, describing it as a “day of hurt and mourning” ahead of last year’s game against Pakistan on January 26.

Speaking before the T20 series against South Africa starting on Saturday in Canberra, Perry was asked if Australia Day should remain on January 26 but deferred giving an outright opinion.

She said she and her teammates had learnt from Gardner and that ongoing education was important for everyone around the sensitive issue.

“I think that’s a much broader national discussion and one that requires much more acumen than I have,” she said.

Ashleigh Gardner says Australia Day is a day of mourning. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

“I think that’s probably not really the focus for us as a team. It’s certainly more about looking at every opportunity we can to educate ourselves and making sure we represent the whole community because for us as a team, we very much stand for diversity and inclusion in every space.

“This was a big issue for us as well last year, and for us it’s been a process over the last three or four years to be really invested in learning and educating ourselves as best we can across a lot of these issues.

“Ash is a wonderful role model for the First Nations community, and we’ve learnt a lot through doing different things, whether that’s cultural experiences or learning from leaders in that space.

“I think that’s our priority and focus going forward.”

Australia heads into the three-game T20 series against South Africa on a high after an encouraging win in India, but they do have one concern with skipper Alyssa Healy falling ill just days out from the first game.

“I think Midge was just feeling a bit crook today,” Perry explained.

“She was cleared of Covid so didn’t test positive to that, but she probably needs a day or so to take it easy.

“As far as I know, she should be available for Saturday without anything untoward happening.”

The series will be a repeat of last year’s T20 World Cup final which Australia won in South Africa, with the squad looking to push the boundaries as more teams start to challenge for their crown as the best country in the world.

Ellyse Perry didn’t want to weigh on the debate to change the date of Australia Day. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

The Ashes tour followed by a trip to India was important for some of the younger players, with Phoebe Litchfield showing the form which has some confident she will be the next face of women’s international cricket.

“I think really pleasingly, we’re starting to nail down what that looks like for us,” Perry said, having smashed 145 for Victoria last week.

“That’s broadly speaking for the team, but also for every individual in the batting line-up.

“Someone like ‘Pheebs’ had a phenomenal series over in India, both in the one-dayers and the T20s – but everyone took some strides forward and it’s now a great chance again to start this series to look at expanding that.”

Originally published as Ellyse Perry calls for more education around Australia Day debate