National Australia Day Council CEO saying moving the date won’t solve the problem

The Australia Day Council has defended the national holiday saying she didn’t think changing the January 26 was the right solution.

The chief executive officer of the National Australia Day Council has defended the national holiday saying she didn’t think changing the January 26 was the right solution.

Karlie Brand said she acknowledged the “rawness of our history” and the difficult times many Aboriginal people have experienced.

“It was extremely traumatic to them and to our country but it happened and the 26th is a symbol of some of those events but changing the date, I don’t think solves the problem,” she told news.com.au.

She said if the date was changed it would allow people not to acknowledge this history properly and to say they didn’t need to know about it, or to take the time to understand it.

“It’s raw but I think we should know about it,” she said.

“I think moving the day says to people ‘it’s no longer a problem’ and I think that is a big mistake.”

Ms Brand said she could understand why some people saw Australia Day as “disrespectful” especially if they were looking at it through the lens of how it was celebrated in the 1980s and 90s.

“If it continued to be the only way we acknowledged Australia Day now, I would probably agree,” she said.

“What we are trying to do as a country is reflect on the past and respect the contribution of us all.”

January 26 is not a day for celebration – that’s why news.com.au is campaigning to change the date of Australia Day, so we can celebrate the best country in the world, without leaving anyone behind.

We can’t ignore our past. Picture: Darren England/AAP

Members of the council have been appointed by Australia’s prime minister to promote Australia Day and increase participation from all members of the community.

Ms Brand said the way Australia Day is celebrated has changed, with the council encouraging people to “reflect, respect and celebrate”.

“Australia Day is an opportunity to move us closer to reconciliation,” she said.

She said $11 million in grants was being distributed to help 534 councils and community organisations deliver Australia Day events, with 194 of these including specific elements that acknowledge, respect and celebrate local Indigenous history and culture.

“We are reframing Australia Day,” she said.

“Pretending life is rosy is a way of dismissing our history, and if we dismiss history we can’t grow together as one.

“Our history happened, it’s important, changing the date is not going to make it go away.”

Former Australian War Memorial director and former defence minister Brendan Nelson has also suggested Indigenous people could be honoured with a ceremony at the beginning of Australia Day, to be held a new national resting place for Indigenous remains in Canberra.

Australia Day should a day to reflect, respect and celebrate. Picture: Joel Carrett/AAP

Ms Brand said Australia Day marked the day Europeans arrived in the country but Australia’s history is thousands of years old.

“Aboriginal contribution and culture is beautiful,” she said. “We didn’t know about that before but I’m proud that we are now learning it.”

She said there was also increasing celebration of other cultures too.

Activities on Australia Day now include a “drum off” between a Brisbane Tongan group and Aboriginal elders.

“I think this is really respectful and brings culture together,” she said.

In Darwin a Pakistan group will do a “cook off” with Aboriginal people that will see the fusing of foods.

However, Ms Brand acknowledged more needed to be done.

“It can’t be changed by one organisation and one people, it’s a coming together,” she said.

“We’re all part of the story.

“We can't have a national day and pretend it’s going to happen if society doesn’t engage.

“It’s up to society to engage in the Australia Day they want. You can’t be an observer and think that it’s going to be what you want.”