Nation in two minds over extra indigenous holiday

The PM’s proposal for a separate national day recognising indigenous heritage slammed by some, hailed by others.

Noel Pearson calls the Morrison idea ‘very welcome indeed’. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison’s proposal for a separate national day recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, while keeping January 26 as Australia Day, has failed to win the support of his ­indigenous special envoy Tony Abbott but was hailed as a game-changer by Cape York lawyer Noel Pearson and others.

Speaking in Darwin, Mr Abbott said he “would probably want to hold judgment on any alternative national day” and insisted that “even for indigenous people, there is so much that they can be proud of in modern Australia”.

The Prime Minister’s proposed two-part recognition of indigenous and post-1788 Australia came as he announced he was stripping Byron Shire Council, on the NSW north coast, of its ability to conduct citizenship ceremonies after it voted to move Australia Day observances to January 25.

“Their job is to book the hall, conduct the ceremony with dignity and respect in accordance with the rules. Now, if they want to abuse that privilege and if they want to use it as a political football, it’s simple — we’ll get someone else to do it,’’ Mr Morrison said.

He said he was “open for a chat with the Australian people about how we could better acknowledge indigenous Australians and our indigenous peoples’’.

Mr Morrison has not suggested the new day be a public holiday, raising the question of how it would gain equivalent status to January 26 in the public eye or whether it would be a token gesture, and how it would differ from the already existing NAIDOC week celebrations of indigenous culture.

Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek left the door open for an extra day but Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy slammed the idea as a “distraction” and a “thought bubble”, asking when Mr Morrison would address the Referendum Council’s bid for an indigenous voice to parliament.

“We want a commitment in his leadership role to follow up with the voice and make it happen,” Senator McCarthy said.

Ms Plibersek’s declaration that the Morrison proposal was “a conversation we are up for” was in contrast to Bill Shorten’s rejection this year of a call from Labor frontbencher Linda Burney for a separate day to recognise indigenous Australians, declaring there were “enough public holidays”.

Aged Care and Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt endorsed the idea, saying he had discussed it with Malcolm Turnbull.

The Australian understands some Liberal MPs have raised the suggestion among themselves but did not want it linked directly to Australia Day, and that these conversations might have prompted Mr Morrison’s proposal.

Former prime ministerial indigenous adviser Warren Mundine, who has in the past vehemently opposed January 26 as a day of celebration, said the date remained “problematic” but Mr Morrison’s suggestion was “the genuine start of a conversation”.

“This is a step in the right direction. I don’t see it as a negative; it’s trying to resolve the issue (but) I’m not surprised by Abbott ­rejecting it,” Mr Mundine said.

Mr Pearson, who has proposed a January 25-26 solution to jointly mark more than 60,000 years of indigenous occupation and the radical shift that followed the British arrival, called the Morrison idea “very welcome indeed”.

“This can be a game changer for the nation, for coming to terms with our history, for reconciliation and for forging a better future,” he said.

Rhoda Roberts, head of indigenous programming at the Sydney Opera House and a Bundjalung woman, said it was important to retain January 26 as “the beginning of the entire change of this nation”. However she supported an additional day.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale maintained his position that the date should change. However, Pauline Hanson and Cory Bernardi rejected an extra national day.

Additional reporting: Andrew Clennell