Australia Day

January 26th
History
• 1606 – Dutch explorers landed in
Australia – moved on

• 1770 – English explorer Captain Cook claimed Australia

for Britain

• January 26th 1788 – The first fleet arrived under

Governor Arthur Phillip.
• Mostly convicts and prison guards

• 1901 - Federation
Australia Day – January 26
• It is a public holiday, and is about national pride and
achievements.
• It involves the presentation of the Australian of the
Year Awards on Australia Day Eve (January 25).
• Many new Australians receive their citizenship on
Australia Day.
• But the holiday is considered controversial – Why?
 Aboriginal People
• Aboriginal people have been in Australia for over 50,000 years.
• There were between 300,000 to 950,000 Aboriginal people
living in Australia when the British arrived.
• Between 1788 and 1900, the Indigenous population of Australia was
reduced by 90%.
• When the British arrived, there were approximately 260
distinct language groups and 500 dialects.
• Aboriginal people built semi-permanent houses and moved
around a lot.
• Their emphasis was on relationships to family, group and
country rather than the development of an agricultural society.
 The Stolen Generations
1901 - 1967
• Aboriginal children were taken from their parents
by the British to be raised in a 'civilised manner’.
• They were put into institutions or placed with a British
family where they worked as servants.
• No records were taken, so many people do not
know the origins of their family.
• In 1967 there was a referendum and Aboriginal
people were given the right of citizenship.
 Reconciliation
• Reconciliation is about unity and respect between Aboriginal
and non-Indigenous Australians. It is about respect for
Aboriginal heritage and valuing justice and equality for all
Australians.
• Apology to the Stolen Generations February 13, 2008
• Prime minister Kevin Rudd delivered an apology in Federal
Parliament for the mistreatment of Indigenous Australians. In
the speech he committed to closing the gap on Indigenous
disadvantage and made a statement of recognition "that today
we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest
continuing cultures in human history".
 Australia Day or Invasion Day?
• War / Conflict

• Disease

• Animals that destroyed the natural land (Cane

toads, Rabbits)

• No justice or equality
History of Australia Day
• The first official celebration was in 1818, the 30th
anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet, and it
was only celebrated in Sydney.
• Then it was known as Foundation Day
• In 1915 a committee to celebrate Australia Day was
formed, and the date chosen was 30 July, mainly to
raise money to support the soldiers at war.
• It was celebrated the next year on 28 July 1916, but that
was the last time it was held in July.
• In 1994, all states and territories began to celebrate
the public holiday on January 26th for the first time.
The Celebration
• We have a public holiday
• There are parades, parties and
fireworks in every major city
• People get together with their friends and family
and have a BBQ in their backyard
• There are official ceremonies
• Australian of the Year
• Citizenship Ceremonies
• For most Australians, it is a day to celebrate what it
means to be Australian, and they do not think
about the history of the day.
Should we change the date?
• Do you think Australia Day should
be changed? Why or why not?
Current Statistics
Survey held January 2018

• 84% of people think it is important to have a

national day of celebration
• 56% say they don’t mind when the day occurs
• 37% understand that the date is offensive to
Aboriginal Australians
• Only 38% of people could correctly identify the
significance of January 26th, in a multiple choice
question with 11 different options