Professor of history busts 'lazy' Australia Day myths

Dr Jones says it's not just a matter of political correctness; rather there is real potential for harm in excluding other Australians

NOT JUST PC: DR Benjamin Jones, who writes on nationalism and republicanism, begins work at CQUniversity Rockhampton's history department. Picture: Jann Houley

AUSTRALIA Day is traditionally a busy time for one of Australia's foremost experts on nationalism and republicanism and this year even more so.

Dr Benjamin Jones, who is a postdoctoral Professor of History, moved his family to Rockhampton last month to take up a position at CQUniversity.

On January 26 every year, he receives a lot of calls from media to comment on the Australia Day debate. He says it's an occasion that demonstrates how little Australians know about our history, including politicians who often say very incorrect things.

"We've had Scott Morrison say that January 26 was the birth of the Australian nation which isn't correct at all; that was January 1 at federation,” he said.

"The Nationals deputy leader Bridget Mackenzie said we recognise the date because that's when Captain Cook stepped ashore; in fact, he'd been dead for a decade at that stage.”

Dr Jones says it's a day which is traditionally celebrated because it's when the British flag was raised to proclaim New South Wales as a penal colony but "that's not very inspiring or patriotic”.

"I'm very interested to pick apart the myth-making and blatant falsehoods that have built up around it,” he said.

"I want to understand why it's so important to some people to maintain it and increasingly important to a growing number of people that the date be changed.”

Dr Jones, who will supervise honours and prospective PhD students, says the study of history is useful in helping people to broaden their horizons.

"Australia invested some seven decades in the White Australia policy so we probably need to put an equal amount of work into reimagining what Australia is.”

"First and foremost, we need to honour the First Nations Peoples but also the multiple, different cultures that have come since.”

Dr Jones says it's not just a matter of political correctness; rather there is real potential for harm in excluding other Australians.

"Retreating into the lazy "cult of forgetfulness” with a government-promoted, triumphant Cook narrative, narrows a history that has been slowly broadening for decades.”

Originally published as Professor of history busts 'lazy' Australia Day myths