PM Scott Morrison suggests a second ‘special day’ to recognise indigenous Australians

JUST hours after the Prime Minister went on a media blitz in defence of Australia Day, a member of his own team committed an embarrassing gaffe.

DEPUTY Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie has made an embarrassing Australia Day gaffe just hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s media blitz in defence of the national day.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Ms McKenzie said January 26 commemorated the day “when Captain Cook stepped ashore”.

“For many members of our indigenous communities and our Aboriginal peoples, that date obviously will always be in their minds as an invasion day, as it’s described,” host Kieran Gilbert put to her.

“Yeah but that’s not all of indigenous Australians Kieran, to be fair,” Ms McKenzie responded.

“That is a certain section of that community, and yes that needs to be recognised that that’s how they feel on that day, but the reality is, that is when the course of our nation changed forever. When Captain Cook stepped ashore.

“From then on, we’ve built an incredibly successful society, best multicultural society in the world, and in order to continue that trajectory we need to actually work together.”

Of course, Captain Cook actually arrived in Australia 18 years before the First Fleet.

Earlier, Mr Morrison appeared on Sky, Nine and Seven to spruik his idea for a “special day” to recognise indigenous people.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph yesterday, Mr Morrison called for a separate day to acknowledge the 60,000 years of indigenous history instead of a replacement to Australia Day.

Mr Morrison appeared on both the Today Show and Sunrise this morning, standing by his decision.

“That is the day the ships turned up. That is the day 60,000 years of history in this country moved into the most recent, modern form of our history,” the PM told Today.

“We can’t pretend it was some other day that that happened. That is the day it happened, and that is the day where we have to deal with everything and we have to embrace it all, warts and all, and accept our successes and acknowledge where we haven’t done so well.

“There are scars from things that have happened over the last 200 years and more, and we look at that like anyone looks at their entire life. I mean, it is not all perfect. It doesn’t always go the way you would want it to and our national day is an opportunity to reflect on all of that, but ultimately to be positive.”

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On Sunrise, the PM said he suggested the date change because “you have a whole group of people trying to tear down Australia Day”.

“We don’t have to pull Australia Day down to actually recognise the achievements of indigenous Australians. The oldest living culture in the world,” he said.

“The two can coexist. Australia Day was the fulcrum point. That was the day that Australia

changed forever. We can’t pretend it wasn’t that day.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for a second ‘special day’ for indigenous Australians. Picture: Joel Carrett

Former Prime Minister and special envoy on indigenous affairs Tony Abbott said Australia Day was “a day for everyone, including Aboriginals”.

“The point that I started making as Prime Minister is that Australia is the country with indigenous heritage, British foundations, and an immigrant character … and that indigenous heritage is one of the three great pillars on which modern Australia is built.” Mr Abbott said on 2GB this morning.

“I think these days we are all very proud of the fact that we do have an indigenous heritage, we want it to be honoured and celebrated so I don’t think there is any desire on the part of anyway to exclude Aboriginal people from the celebration of Australia Day..”

The PM stripped Byron Shire Council of its authority to conduct citizenship ceremonies earlier this week after the northern NSW council announced plans to shift the date to January 25.

A number of Melbourne councils were stripped of their right to conduct citizenship ceremonies last year after they said they would stop holding them on January 26.

As reported byThe Northern Star, Mayor Simon Richardson put a motion forward last week, proposing the date change. In the meeting, Mr Richardson said “no one wants Australia Day on the 26th”.

“I believe Byron … has an opportunity to help the nation make the transition away from the historical problem of this date,” he said.

An Invasion Day rally in Redfern on Australia Day this year. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

Mr Richardson said the celebrations on January 26 caused pain in a section of the community and questioned whether the values of a fair go and mateship were being reflected.

“Is it true mateship to willingly, wilfully and continually celebrate what rightfully is great to be an Australian on a day that some Australians are pained by?” the Greens mayor said.

He said the Prime Minister’s response was understandable but he found the remark about “modern Australia” interesting.

“I thought we were actually celebrating Australia Day, not ‘modern’ Australia Day,” he said.

Via Twitter, Mr Morrison said the council’s decision was “indulgent self-loathing”.

Indulgent self-loathing doesn’t make Australia stronger. Being honest about the past does. Our modern Aus nation began on January 26, 1788. That’s the day to reflect on what we’ve accomplished, become, still to achieve. We can do this sensitively, respectfully, proudly, together. https://t.co/uM59Lwrr1p

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) September 23, 2018

In recent years, calls have grown to move the date of Australia Day.

Invasion Day rallies, led by indigenous Australians, are increasingly attended by hundreds of people with others referring to it as a day of mourning.

Triple J also made the decision to move its Hottest 100 countdown to January 27 this year, a move that was applauded by its thousands of listeners.

Radio host Steve Price slammed the PM’s suggestion on 2GB this morning, saying there was already a number of “special days” in place to recognise indigenous Australians.

“You would’ve thought that might do,” Price said.

“To have a separate Australia Day is just divisive. It divides people.

“Why come up with this cockamoni (sic). We’re all Australians … we have one day why can’t we settle it and move on.”