Controversy around the date of Australia Day

by Ben (Discover English Teacher)

There’s currently a debate in Australia about how and when the national day should be celebrated. 

The 26th of January – officially known as Australia Day – has been the official public holiday to celebrate the Australian nation since 1994. However, the date marks the first arrival of European settlers in Sydney in 1788. For some Australians, the 26th of January may not be the best day to celebrate the nation because it marks the day when the colonisation of Australia began.

As a result of Australia’s colonisation, many Indigenous Australians lost their land and their lives. 

The official name is Australia Day, but some people refer to it as Invasion Day, while others prefer Survival Day. Some prefer Survival Day as it focuses on the positive aspects of the survival of Indigenous cultures into the present.

As the history of Australia goes much further back than 1788, some people want to see the date of Australia’s national day changed to another day that doesn’t commemorate the arrival of the European settlers. 

Here’s an interesting report from the ABC on the history of the day.