Update: 27 January 2016
More came through today on Australia Day and related matters. There was:
- a video on Guardian Australia of Indigenous protest rallies to mark Invasion Day;
- a music critic, Andy Hazel, punting for 12 ‘classic’ Australian songs since 1957, showing perhaps that we have changed or perhaps that the critic has esoteric tastes;
- Shane Primrose, a school-teacher blogger, pointing to corporate attitudes to Australia Day and calling for a different day altogether; and
- Ben Wilkie, an academic blogger specialising in the Scottish diaspora, writing about a Scot named Archibald Meston, Protector of Aboriginals in part of Queensland at the turn of the 20th century and a pioneer of scientific racism.
And that’s all for Australia Day, till next year.
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The last few days began with Stan Grant, were punctuated by David Morrison and Rosie Batty and are rounded off with:
- Chris Graham on New Matilda applauding (slightly incredulously) Google for running a logo referencing Indigenous dispossession (other good stuff on New Matilda);
- Paul Daley on Guardian Australia saying it is time the Brits apologised to Indigenous Australia (273 comments till 10 pm Sunday, including this one, which almost sums up our history for some perhaps: ‘I couldn’t give a toss about what my ancestors did wrong, if indeed they did anything wrong. I do know my family fought the Kaiser and Hitler which basically cancels out any wrong doings before that’);
- Hugh Mackay in Fairfax on moral blindness, core values and asylum seekers and balancing celebration and reflection;
- Prime Minister Turnbull speaking at a citizenship ceremony in Canberra on, among other things, how our history should not hobble us (‘We can look at our past with great pride and with some regret, but we are not defined, let alone trapped by our history, as many other nations are. Many nations define themselves by a common race or religion or culture. Not us. Our national identity is defined by shared political values, democracy, tempered by the rule of law. A deep belief that each of us owes the other a fair go, the best chance to realise our dreams.’)
- First Dog on the Moon in Guardian Australia on Australian cuisine – well, sort of (587 comments).
There was also more from and about Stan Grant and David Morrison, both of whom we have already highlighted.
26 January 2016 and updated
