Why I Don't Celebrate Australia Day Anymore and Why It's Still an Important Day for All of Modern Australia
1938, 150th Celebration of European Settlement. President Patten (right) reads resolution, "We, representing the ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA ... on the 150th Anniversary of the whitemen's seizure of our country, HEREBY MAKE PROTEST against the callous treatment of our people ... AND WE APPEAL to the Australian Nation of to-day ... for FULL CITIZEN STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY" . ..This image is part of the collections of the State Library of NSW . January 26th is recognized as Australia Day in Australia (obviously). It marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a small bay on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour. For modern Australia it's a holiday and a day of celebration, with the Federal, State, and even Local Councils, handing out awards for achievement at various events. Quite often citizenship ceremonies for new Aussies are performed too. However, over the last few decades,