Australians celebrate and protest the anniversary of British colonization
Australians celebrate and protest the anniversary of British colonization
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Australians celebrated and protested across the country on Sunday as Australia Day drew attention to political differences over Indigenous rights months out from a federal election. Australia Day marks a British colony being established at Sydney Cove on Jan. 26, 1788, which eventually led to Britain claiming the entire country without a treaty with its Indigenous inhabitants.
Indigenous rights advocates call Jan. 26 “Invasion Day” and protest rallies have been held in major cities. Many argue that Australia’s national day should not commemorate such a divisive event. Australia Day is usually a public holiday and because it fell on a Sunday this year, Monday has been declared a holiday.
Acknowledging the hurt that Australia Day causes many Indigenous Australians, the most disadvantaged ethnic group that accounts for 4% of the population, many businesses refer to the ”January long weekend” rather than the “Australia Day long weekend.”.
Australia Day has in recent decades been the date on which immigrants became Australian citizens in public ceremonies. But several local government councils have chosen to hold citizenship ceremonies on different dates due to the controversy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor Party government has attempted to accommodate differing views of Australia Day since it won elections in 2022.
