Justin Quill: Becoming a republic is the solution to Australia Day division

Ending the debate and serious division Australia Day causes may see hard, but there’s a simple solution; our nation should become a republic.

Australia Day should be a celebration that unifies the country. A day to make us all feel proud and together.

But it’s not. Far from it.

For many — particularly Indigenous Australians — it’s the opposite of a celebration, a day of sadness. And for all of us, it’s dividing. Because whatever side of the now annual debate over whether Australia Day should be moved you are on, you are by definition caught up in the divisive nature of it.

It seems like an impossible situation to solve.

To keep Australia Day on January 26 will continue to upset our Indigenous and many who support or share their views. To move it will feel like a slap in the face for those who support the day remaining where it is and their notion of what celebrating being Australian is all about.

Onlookers watch the Australia Day parade celebrations.

Seemingly, there is no solution that will keep everyone happy and unify us as a nation.

But actually, there is a solution. And it’s a simple one.

Let’s become a republic, choose the day upon which the new Australia — with a new flag — will come into existence and then have that day as our national day forever more. Our true Australia Day. A unifying day. A day to celebrate and be proud.

Continuing with Australia Day on January 26 just doesn’t seem sustainable. This annual divisive debate — whatever your view on it — means the day is counter-productive.

I desperately want a day I can celebrate and feel proud of our great nation. But if the date means the day is dividing us, what’s the point? Not only is it not serving its purpose, it’s doing the exact opposite.

It’s only in recent years I’ve come to fully appreciate the way Australia Day must make Indigenous Australians feel. I won’t try to explain it here. The last thing Indigenous Australians need is a non-indigenous person trying to tell them how they should feel.

It’s sufficient to acknowledge January 26 is a day of great sadness for them. Many refer to it as “Invasion Day”.

Protesters are seen during an Invasion Day rally.

There can be no doubt the day was the start of unimaginably deplorable treatment by the white settlers of the Aboriginal population then inhabiting Australia. It’s easy to see how that must make living Aborigines feel. In fact, that notion goes back at least until 1938, when a group of Aboriginal protesters staged a Day of Mourning in Sydney on January 26 that year.

So the divisive nature of the date is long standing – and seemingly growing.

In theory we could change Australia Day to January 1 because on January 1, 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia was born. Legislation had been passed by the British parliament allowing the Australian colonies to come together to form the Commonwealth of Australia and govern themselves.

But frankly, the significance of Australia Day would be completely lost if it were celebrated on New Year’s Day. So much so, I don’t see that as a real option.

But equally, picking another day randomly from the 364 on offer would feel empty. It will mean nothing and solve little in terms of Australia Day being divisive — so that is also just not an option in my view.

But imagine if we had a day to truly celebrate. A day that meant something — but wasn’t a day that saddens many Australians and reminds them of the mistreatment of their ancestors. A real Australia Day.

A recent YouGov survey found 62 per cent of people support a republic.

We all know the 1999 referendum on the issue of Australia becoming a republic was flawed in the way it was conducted. The referendum question split not only people into the pro and anti-republic sides, but it split the pro republic movement by setting forward a specific form of the republic which was not supported by all republicans. So while the republican push didn’t make it through the referendum, it wasn’t a true indication of whether Australians wanted a republic.

Australia is ready to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II and her family.

If a simple question was put, such as “Do you support Australia becoming a republic with an Australian Head of State?” I am absolutely certain we would now be a republic.

Even the Queen has expressed views in support of Australia becoming a republic.

It would take a whole other column to go through why we should become a republic. It’s no disrespect to the Queen or our history. Just like all kids (eventually) grow up and move out from under their parents’ roof, Australia should stand entirely on its own and be fully self-governed and not have someone from another country as our head of state.

That person should be chosen by Australians and not be in the position simply because they were born into a particular British family. That is the way things currently are and in my view the concept of such a “birthright” is the opposite of Australian values. And for those who care, we can become a republic and still compete in the Commonwealth Games and play the Ashes!

So the way forward is clear. Become a republic and celebrate Australia Day on the day the Republic of Australia comes into existence. We can even pick a day to suit our calendar.

Pride, unity and celebration would be the order of the day and we could — once and for all — say goodbye to the division we currently have.

Justin Quill is a partner with major law firm Thomson Geer, which represents the Herald Sun

@justinquill

Originally published as Justin Quill: Becoming a republic is the solution to Australia Day division