First Nations media are leading better conversations about the significance of the day – and issues facing Indigenous communities every day of the year.
New research shows how prime ministers typically frame national identity on Australia day: it’s largely male, heterosexual, white and lacking class distinctions.
The challenge on Indigenous rights is to achieve reform that goes beyond limited understandings of these issues as being symbolic or practical.
AAP/Dan Peled
Instead of paying lip service to promoting Indigenous Australians’ rights as First Nations, the next federal government should be guided by the Uluru Statement from the Heart to make real progress.
Two heroes of the Thai cave rescue, Craig Challen and Richard Harris, are joint Australian of the Year for 2019.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
A retired vet and an anaesthetist from Western Australia share the honour for 2019 after they used their medical and cave-diving skills to rescue 12 boys and their coach from a Thai cave in 2018.
Deep Saini speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in Australian politics.
It may be that the fortnight or so surrounding Australia Day is evolving into an annual season in which some of the deepest paradoxes of Australian identity play out in public.
AAP/Glenn Campbell
It’s true the nationalistic rhetoric around the date has varied over the years but the notion of the date just “fading away” is surely ridiculous.
The Morrison government has committed $50million to celebrate next year’s 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing at Kurnell on April 29, 1770.
AAP/Marc McCormack
The government’s investment in a celebration of 250 years since James Cook’s voyage to and along Australia, if not done properly, will further inflame the history wars in Australia.
The Australia Day debate will likely become more pronounced each year.
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Scott Morrison believes local councils are “playing politics” with Australia Day. But they’re simply reflecting the views of their community, and these views will only get stronger over time.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has proposed a separate day to celebrate Indigenous Australians.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
It was a week that saw the ABC’s managing director and the chair of its board go, with many questions still to be answered; meanwhile Scott Morrison gave the ongoing controversy over Australia Day a new lease of life.
Invasion Day protests have been growing in size and number across the country in recent years.
Glenn Hunt/AAP
An alternative holiday for Indigenous people doesn’t address the arguments against celebrating nationhood on a day that causes offence to some citizens.
Native title - the legal recognition of Indigenous Australian land rights - is determined under domestic law, not international law.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
In an article published in the lead up to Australia Day, WA Liberal Party policy committee chairman Sherry Sufi said “native title can only exist if Australia was settled, not invaded”. Is that right?
We must change the date of Australia Day again again if we want to achieve a national day that unifies all Australians.
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Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University