What does Australia Day mean to you?

Question

We all enjoy having the day off work and throwing a few "snags" on the barbie... but when you stop to think about the true meaning of Australia Day what comes to mind?

For our international friends - Australia Day is commemorated each year on January 26th, the day The First Fleet landed in Sydney Cove in 1788 to begin forming the Colony of New South Wales.

Answer 1

its about celebrating diversity in australia.

Australia is a country which has provided freedom for generations to migrants and convicts from other lands. australia day is when we think about how we can continue this and improve equality and not just tolerance but embracing of everyone.

Its when we should remember the freedoms our ancestors have fought for and realise we need to stand up to the government who can take them away.

For example education is way more expensive, workers have less rights and we're selling off services which were owned to make them more equitable for everyone.

Answer 2

Australia Day Meaning For Kids

Answer 3

It's not the right date to celebrate: we don't celebrate the start of the Vietnam War, the onset of Horse Flu, or the Influenza Epidemic. Why do we celebrate Australia on the anniversary of an invasion* that has marginalised and dispossessed the oldest culture on the planet? (*Definition: Invasion: entrance as if to take possession or overrun). I descend from those invading "pioneers". Many came here as victims of oppression: cultural, economic, famine, religious and ethic. Yet they learned nothing from the experience and proceeded to do the same to traditional Australians over the past six generations. They cleared too much land, they drove wildlife to extinction, and they gridded out a proud culture with their fences and stock. I am SORRY that my family benefited and others continue to suffer and I also take opportunities to ACT on my apology. I am keen to help our more recent Australian arrivals learn about this and acknowledge the people of the country they also benefit from inhabiting. Being a good mate is what Australia is about - not celebrating an event of oppression. (Some of the comments above are indicative of the continuing psychological problem some people have about this. So sad.) Let's pick another date please, and not at such a hot time of year and so close to Christmas and New Year holidays. Why not replace the "Queen's Birthday"? It's celebrated on different dates in different States - and it's not the birthday of the current English monarch anyway. Just an excuse for a day off and some pyromania. Who cares that it was Queen Victoria's birthday? Make it Australia Day and let off those fireworks in the low bushfire risk season instead of frying on the beach again.

Answer 4

Australia has become the second country of my heart and the latter bounces in my chest each time I hear the word Australia.
My native country is France, but thanks to the internet, I am connected there everyday.
I would say Australia means to me The Bojangles in Alice Springs with its live broadcasting of the parties in that place
and my friends, the two DJs.
But it also means two wonderful trips there in 2005 and 2006 that have completely changed my life: Melbourne, Sydney, Uluru,Alice Springs, Cairns, Darwin, all the way from Katherine to the Alice on the bus along the Stuart Highway.
It means a fauna never seen elsewhere.
And also, the most welcoming people in the world: the Aussies !
I married on a Jan.26th. An omen, may be !
Wait for me Australia. I will be back soon.

Answer 5

Both of my ancestors were with the first fleet and it is a wonderful feeling knowing that they were active in the development of the colony. I never really thought too much about it before I discovered that I am a descendant, but I have done a lot of research since, and I'm blown away by the hardship that these people had to endure through doing nothing more than break a few petty laws. My great etc,etc grandmother was sentenced to death for the laws that she broke but she was transported instead. I see Australia Day as a celebration of hers and therefore my life.

Answer 6

Australia Day has almost no meaning for me except as a long weekend. To me ANZAC Day if far more important and significant. I think the real problem with Australia day is the date... What does it celebrate???!!! The founding of a penal colony!?!? We would be better off with a Federation Day of something like that. I am also against the kind of nationalism it brings out - Appreciative patriotism; Aussie style, is fine but I have noticed a much more fervent "American style" rampant "I'm more Aussie than you!" style of patriotism sneaking in - and I think it is VERY dangerous!

Answer 7

To me australia day is the day when we celebrate our national pride with excessive alcohol and processed meats lol. But also with friends and families and even perfect strangers, it brings us together as a nation, it doesn't matter where we came from on this day we are all australians.
However there is also the negtive of the day. The first fleet landed and decided to take this land as their own with no consideration for those who already inhabited here. And I am personally sorry for how the europeans and other migrants afflicted indigenous australians in the past.
I hope we can all move forward together for a better future.
Happy Australia Day, or Invasion Day. It depends on your out look.

Answer 8

I wish more people thought more of Australia.

- Festive organisers wanted to ban the Australian flag at the celebrations.
- The Prime Minister goes against the Constitution by taking water rights away from states (*Section 100 of the Constitution)
- Foreign owned petrol companies increased petrol by over 10% leading up to the long weekend holiday

Answer 9

It's been changed now but we always celebrated Oz Day by watching the Test Cricket from the Adelaide Oval whilst indulging in a few (more than a few) malt sangers....lol...nowadays for me, I usually work that day but I reflect on just how fortunate I am to live in the lucky country although even that is starting to pass. I'm sorry if I offend and I'm in no way racist but I believe that Australia has become too "multicultural" with too many coming here "making us" change rather than them changing to our way of life. The people that emigrated during the 50's and 60's became with the passage of time Aussies but now they not only want to come here to escape their troublesome home, they want to bring those troubles with them. And they don't want to integrate to our way of life, they expect us to accept their ways no matter what. Now if that sounds harsh, I defy any Aussie to go to their country and try and do that. You'd either be executed, imprisoned or on the first plane out of there. Now there's a double standard!

Answer 10

to me it means i'm an australian.it means where nearly extinct.it means our govt. has allowed this.it means very few people throw a snag on the barbie.it means we have no rights in our own country.it means the minorities rule.it means we have no identity anymore.it means the real aussie is not far away from kaput.it makes me proud,but ashamed(that where not allowed to be us)it makes me glad,but sad.it makes me patriotic but embaressed to be an aussie.john howard makes me ashamed and embaressed to be an aussie.and what saddens me most is that i and other real aussies black and white let it happen.it means the celabration in australia day has gone for me.and that is real sad,because there are a lot of people that feel this way to.we can't even say what we feel any more and that is more than sad that is a disgrace to our nation.
PS.i dont celebrate australia day anymore because of the reasons i gave,and i never missed the anzac day march until 4 years ago,and i'll never join the march again until john howard is gone and we have some aussie pride again.and thats sad because ive marched every year for the last 20 + years.and what saddens me more is the people who gave thier life to give our nation to foriegners.(spelling)our reputation for being the toughest ppl on earth is gone forever where weak for allowing it.
and whats even sadder is people thinks it's a day off to have a barbie and get pissed without realising whats happening to our nation.wheres the pride in that.
LOOK AT SOME OF THE ANSWERS HERE MAYBE YOU"LL GET SOME OF MY POINT>LAMB