Stella Burgoyne delivers powerful message to Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Survival Day rally
A 17-year-old captured the attention of thousands with her poignant message to the Prime Minister at Adelaide’s Survival Day rally.
At just 17 years old, Stella Burgoyne captured the attention of thousands as she delivered a message directly to Scott Morrison at a Survival Day rally held in Adelaide.
“Never ever forget the land you reside and stand on,” she told the Prime Minister.
“If you want to celebrate on a day that’s inclusive, find another day.”
Stella, a Mirning-Kokatha woman who was raised in Port Lincoln, told the crowd that Indigenous people had experienced a “huge shift” in 2020.
“We walked the streets screaming ‘black lives matter’ and held our heads high,” she said.
“In 2021 we do the exact same on the 26th of January.
“Black lives don’t just matter when it’s trending. Black lives always have and always will matter.”
The teenager’s message was echoed by several other speakers who addressed the rally, which was held following a march to Parliament House and back.
More than 3000 marchers walked with signs and flags and chanted “Always was, always will be Aboriginal land”.
Social distancing was not enforced, but those who attended were asked to check-in using a QR barcode. Volunteers were also handing out sanitiser and face masks.
SA Police said the crowd was well-behaved, and there were no arrests or cautions issued.
“Police were pleased with the behaviour and compliance of the crowd at today’s march,” a police spokesperson said.
“There were no issues of note and traffic disruption was kept to a minimum.
“Police were also pleased to see the majority of people were wearing masks.”
Survival Day and Invasion Day rallies were held across the country on Tuesday to protest Australia Day and call for the date to be changed.
Lou Taylor, who attended the Adelaide event with a sign that read “F**k celebrating days made of misery”, said more must be done to support First Nations people.
“I want to see respect, I want to see equality, I want to see people’s perceptions change,” she said.
“I want to make it fair for the people whose country this, whose country it was to start with.”
Ms Taylor said she was “filled with pride” to be marching with like-minded people.
“I’m a whitefella but I’ve been an ally for as long as I can remember,” she said.
Warren Milera, from Hawker in the Flinders Ranges, said he was proud to see younger generations making their voices heard.
“We’ve been arguing the same thing for years and years and now, to see the young ones getting up there and starting to do that, it was good,” he said.
“We’ve been thrown in this position whether we like it or not … when’s it going to change?
“Maybe we won’t see it in our lifetimes but maybe our grandchildren will. We’ve just got to keep up the fight.”
Mr Milera is a member of the Black Death Indigenous Political Club, a motorcycle club who rode their bikes during the march.
The club, which has 35 members, supports causes including raising money for youths in custody.
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