Melbourne councils scrap Australia Day but meet a backlash

Neon Knight wrote:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4811638/Aboriginal-elder-hits-Melbourne-councils-Australia-Day.html Edited:

Greens-dominated Yarra City Council voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day, prompting widespread backlash and condemnation. Neighbouring left-leaning Darebin Council followed the suit a week later, risking being stripped of its power to host citizenship ceremonies by the federal government.

Darebin mayor Kim Le Cerf said the list of councils could grow longer and on Tuesday confirmed there had been discussions with Moreland council in Melbourne's north, Fremantle council in Perth and Hobart City Council. She said January 26 was inappropriate for a national day of celebration because it marked the anniversary of the British 'invasion' of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands.

But Gordon Workman, a leader in the indigenous community of Blacktown in Sydney's west, slammed the controversial decision and said it would further 'create a divide'. He said the decision to change the date to be more 'culturally sensitive' would do more harm than good with indigenous Australians in the area.

Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a shame. January 26 celebrations are 'quintessentially Australian' and done in a respectful way that acknowledges the contribution and heritage of the country's first people. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today expressed his deep disappointment at the Yarra Council decision. 'On Australia Day, we celebrate what's great about our wonderful nation. An attack on Australia Day is a repudiation of the values the day celebrates: freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity,' he said.

Neon Knight wrote:Yeah. Some people now are in the habit of judgeing history by modern values, which makes little sense. The values we have now will change again in future and what will the future people think of our ways and our politics?

A statue of British explorer Captain James Cook has been vandalised in Melbourne in an apparent protest on the eve of Australia Day. The statue was found covered in paint on Thursday. Graffiti depicted an Aboriginal flag and the words: "We remember genocide". . .



Australia Day, the anniversary of British settlement, causes annual debate over indigenous sensitivities.

The Australian government said the vandalism was "disgraceful". "These vandals are trashing our national heritage and should be prosecuted," tweeted Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge. He told local radio station 3AW: "I want Australia Day to be a great unifying day for our country. It has been for many decades now."

Neon Knight wrote:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4811638/Aboriginal-elder-hits-Melbourne-councils-Australia-Day.html Edited:

Greens-dominated Yarra City Council voted to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day, prompting widespread backlash and condemnation. Neighbouring left-leaning Darebin Council followed the suit a week later, risking being stripped of its power to host citizenship ceremonies by the federal government.

Darebin mayor Kim Le Cerf said the list of councils could grow longer and on Tuesday confirmed there had been discussions with Moreland council in Melbourne's north, Fremantle council in Perth and Hobart City Council. She said January 26 was inappropriate for a national day of celebration because it marked the anniversary of the British 'invasion' of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands.

But Gordon Workman, a leader in the indigenous community of Blacktown in Sydney's west, slammed the controversial decision and said it would further 'create a divide'. He said the decision to change the date to be more 'culturally sensitive' would do more harm than good with indigenous Australians in the area.

Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a shame. January 26 celebrations are 'quintessentially Australian' and done in a respectful way that acknowledges the contribution and heritage of the country's first people. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today expressed his deep disappointment at the Yarra Council decision. 'On Australia Day, we celebrate what's great about our wonderful nation. An attack on Australia Day is a repudiation of the values the day celebrates: freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity,' he said.