Holiday hubris getting in the way of indigenous issues
Labor MP Linda Burney lays down her party’s position on Australia Day on the ABC’s RNBreakfast, yesterday:
... the Australian Labor Party has a clear position ... the Labor Party’s position is this ... What the Labor Party’s saying very clearly is ... Bill Shorten has had a very firm view ...
Bill Shorten’s very firm view is that it’s not his problem. The Opposition Leader’s office in a statement to The Australian, yesterday :
Things are getting pretty desperate for (Malcolm) Turnbull when he’s lining up alongside the Greens to politicise Australia Day.
But Burney has an idea to break the Australia Day impasse. RN Breakfast, yesterday:
Burney: Australia should have a national public holiday that celebrates, that lifts up, that recognises First Nations peoples, First Nations stories ...
Hamish McDonald:And the Queen’s birthday? You’d replace that?
Burney: Well, I note that Luke Foley, who is the leader of the Labor Party in New South Wales, is advocating a national public holiday recognising indigenous people and trading off the Queen’s birthday as the day.
We already have Sorry Day in May. Australian Human Rights Commission website, May 26, 2016:
Today, as we commemorate Sorry Day, we remember and honour the many Aboriginal people who were forcibly removed as children from their families and taken to institutions, foster homes or into adoption.
And we have a whole week devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in July. NAIDOC website:
Predominately, NAIDOC Week is held in the first week (a Sunday to Sunday) of July that incorporates the second Friday — which historically was celebrated as ‘‘National Aboriginal Day’’. It is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that indigenous Australians make to our country and society.
Not to mention dozens of weeks devoted to multiculturalism and all that jazz. Harmony Day website:
Harmony Day is a celebration of our cultural diversity — a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home.
Now, the only practical reason for the Queen’s birthday is to binge-watch a certain soap opera ... Daily Telegraph, January 11:
... the Australian Monarchist League is pushing for taxpayer funding for a year-long campaign ... But in a separate letter to be sent to MPs this morning, the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) has rubbished the demand, suggesting those campaigning for the status quo buy everyone a Netflix subscription to enable access to hit TV show The Crown instead.
But when are we going to stop talking about public holidays and focus on actual policy? The Australian, yesterday:
(Richard) Di Natale ... supported a call by Northcote MP Lidia Thorpe ... to fly the flag half mast on Australia Day.
Holidays aren’t going to solve the problems of indigenous Australia. The Australian’s editorial, Tuesday:
No nation’s past is lilywhite; Australia’s is better than most. Those who share the Greens’ views would do better to mark the occasion by doing something practical to support the lot of disadvantaged Aborigines.