Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin

“Australia has much to celebrate as a nation, and a national day presents a welcome opportunity for mature reflection on who we are, and who we could be.”

So says Andrea Gaynor, professor of history at WA University, who says it’s ‘odd’ that January 26, is the day for the commemoration.

This marks the declaration of British sovereignty over the eastern half of the Australian continent – and the beginning of taking land from Australia’s Indigenous peoples, who have long contested the day.

Professor Gaynor says a more appropriate milestone would be the foundation of Australia as a nation, but the anniversary of Federation falls on January 1, which is already taken as a public holiday.

“Partially because of this awkward fact, Australia Day has a short history as a national holiday,” she says.

“For much of the 19th century, January 26 was seen as relevant to New South Wales only.

“In 1935 all states agreed to use the name Australia Day and commemorate it on January 26, but only in 1994 did January 26 become a public holiday in every State and territory.

“In recent years it has become highly politicised, with divisions running along lines of age and political allegiance.

“Prof. Gaynor says that whatever date is settled on, to be a positive commemoration of the nation, events should be inclusive of all Australians and meaningfully involve local Aboriginal people.

She said it was worth noting that January 26 did not in any sense represent Australian independence from Britain – that would be October 9 (1942).

On this date Australia ratified the Statute of Westminster, formally enshrining Australia’s status as a self-governing British dominion.

Another option was March 3 (1986), the day the parallel Australian and British ‘Australia Acts’ came into effect.

These Acts made the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian States entirely constitutionally independent.

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 25 January 2024.