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By John Cobbledick
AS A proud Australian of English/Irish descent, “transported as convicts on the first and second fleets”, I am disgusted with the attitude of the Bass Coast Shire Council regarding Australia Day.
What a disgrace no national anthem was played as part of the official ceremony on January 26 for those who proudly received their citizenship. We proud Australians of Bass Coast apparently do have some representation on the council in the person of Deputy Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead who invited those attending to join in singing the anthem. Thank you, Councillor.
I remind the council and shire officers that Australia Day is a day of celebration for all Australians: black, white, and those by choice. It is unforgivable that I and many others have been excluded from celebrating this day as it should be celebrated, by a shire that claims inclusiveness and tolerance.
AS A proud Australian of English/Irish descent, “transported as convicts on the first and second fleets”, I am disgusted with the attitude of the Bass Coast Shire Council regarding Australia Day.
What a disgrace no national anthem was played as part of the official ceremony on January 26 for those who proudly received their citizenship. We proud Australians of Bass Coast apparently do have some representation on the council in the person of Deputy Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead who invited those attending to join in singing the anthem. Thank you, Councillor.
I remind the council and shire officers that Australia Day is a day of celebration for all Australians: black, white, and those by choice. It is unforgivable that I and many others have been excluded from celebrating this day as it should be celebrated, by a shire that claims inclusiveness and tolerance.
All the talk about the wrongs of our past history by Bass Coast Mayor Michael Whelan (and there were many) do nothing for the future. We can learn from the past but we can’t change it, so why try.
To Aboriginal people and to self-loathing white people, this is not a racist post in any way or form, just the truth as I see it.
To Aboriginal people and to self-loathing white people, this is not a racist post in any way or form, just the truth as I see it.
The Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 was enacted on January 26 1949, and that is when the Australian nationality came into existence. That was the day we were first called Australians and allowed to travel with passports as Australians and NOT British subjects. In 1949, therefore, we all became Australian citizens. Before that special date, all people living in Australia, including Aboriginal people, were called “British subjects” and forced to travel on British passports and fight in British wars.
This is why we celebrate Australia Day on January 26. This was the day Australians became free to make our own decisions about which wars we would fight and how our citizens would be treated. It was the day we were all declared Australians. For the first time since Captain Cook’s landing, this new Act gave Aboriginal Australians the full protection of Australian Law.
So, I ask, why call it Invasion Day? Why call it a day of shame?
Cook landed on Australian shores on April 28 1770. Eighteen years later, on January 18 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay with the First Fleet. He found the bay unsuitable for the establishment of a settlement, and on January 26 1788 the fleet sailed north to Port Jackson, where the settlement was established.
So there are two significant events in Australia’s history on January 26, 171 years apart.
As a proud Australian I see no need for the animosity shown towards celebrating Australia Day on January 26. I see no need for changing the date. What I do see is all Australians –Aboriginal, generational white, and immigrant – have something to celebrate on this date.
We are, after all, one nation. We should be under one flag, and we should have no more racial argument. I know there are differing opinions and I know there will be some comments about what I have left out of my historical input, but what is said is factual and relevant.
Editor's note: At this week’s council meeting, several people queried the decision not to play the National Anthem at the citizenship ceremony. Council CEO Ali Wastie responded: “In recent years the practice of playing the National Anthem has been inconsistent. Council commits to playing it at all future citizenship ceremonies.“
This is why we celebrate Australia Day on January 26. This was the day Australians became free to make our own decisions about which wars we would fight and how our citizens would be treated. It was the day we were all declared Australians. For the first time since Captain Cook’s landing, this new Act gave Aboriginal Australians the full protection of Australian Law.
So, I ask, why call it Invasion Day? Why call it a day of shame?
Cook landed on Australian shores on April 28 1770. Eighteen years later, on January 18 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay with the First Fleet. He found the bay unsuitable for the establishment of a settlement, and on January 26 1788 the fleet sailed north to Port Jackson, where the settlement was established.
So there are two significant events in Australia’s history on January 26, 171 years apart.
As a proud Australian I see no need for the animosity shown towards celebrating Australia Day on January 26. I see no need for changing the date. What I do see is all Australians –Aboriginal, generational white, and immigrant – have something to celebrate on this date.
We are, after all, one nation. We should be under one flag, and we should have no more racial argument. I know there are differing opinions and I know there will be some comments about what I have left out of my historical input, but what is said is factual and relevant.
Editor's note: At this week’s council meeting, several people queried the decision not to play the National Anthem at the citizenship ceremony. Council CEO Ali Wastie responded: “In recent years the practice of playing the National Anthem has been inconsistent. Council commits to playing it at all future citizenship ceremonies.“
Comments are closed.
We will never be able to remove this injustice.
However, we should all be proud of being Australian and being blessed to live in such a great beautiful country.
One way in which we can show our love of country is in proudly standing and singing our national anthem.
When I became an Australian citizen at the Wonthaggi town hall some years ago, I stood with my hand on my heart and sung the national anthem along with the many other new Australians. We had all come from different countries, held different religious beliefs and were of different colours. But our hearts swelled with pride as we swore allegiance to this brave new land that had welcomed us all. The national anthem, sung with gusto in different accents filled the town hall. It has taken many cultures to build this nation and make it the safe place that it is where we are free to work, build a business and raise our families with respect to all cultures.
I am a proud Australian. What a pity some on our council can’t say the same and continue to try to block those who do with fear and intimidation. Well done Cr Rochelle Hallstead for standing up for what was the right thing to do. Raise your voices and sing.
It is a second rate piece of music with words that are so meaningless, very few Australian even know them. (let alone know that there is a second verse).
By all means, play it to yourself in the privacy of your own home, but don't insist that the rest of us have to listen to it.
I was very glad when I became an Australian citizen in the Richmond Town Hall in 2000 that Advance Australia Fair was NOT played. What I always admired about Australia and Australians generally was that they mocked anthems and other nationalistic hoo ha.
It is so hopeless that the wording was outright wrong and required a change from 'young' (lie, as it totally disregarded how long the indigenous people had been here) to 'one'.
It uses a word that no-one in Australia ever uses (except when singing the Anthem) - Girt.
It is also embarrassingly inaccurate. For instance, two lines in the second verse state:
'For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share'.
Tell that to people who had languished on Manus and Nauru for many years, or the Biloela family.
I have been racking my brains to think of any people from all parts of the world that have risked their lives to be able to sing this Anthem. I can't think of any.
Nobody need risk their lives to sing it. They could just go ahead and sing it. That is, if they are like 0.01% of the Australian population that actually know the words.
And I agree 'We are Australians' would be a thousand times better as our Anthem.
Personally I would choose Waltzing Matilda for Australia. It would be the rarest anthem in the world: a song of the dispossessed. I find it very moving.
"For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share"
When if fact, if they come across the seas in boats you don't want to share anything with them?
When was the last time you sang it? How many times are year do you do it? Can you sing it from go to wow without looking up the words?
And who are these many many Australians that sing it regularly you talk about? Even elites sports people 'representing' Australia on the international stage just mumble along. The anthem is hardly inspiring them to greater effort.
Yes I agree that sports people have no idea, and you see them on TV not singing or trying to mouth the words, but how many times are they asked to sing it? Maybe once a year if they get to a final. Not much chance of them learning the words.
But I think you miss the point. Its not whether you know the words or can sing it. It is our Australian National Anthem and as such as a proud Aussie who has declared his allegiance to this country, the anthem should be shown some respect. Sorry but I totally disagree with your opening comments and the way you have phrased it "a welcome relief to those attending the citizenship ceremony in not to have to endure listening to the national dirge". You are entitled to your opinion but it is not a national dirge to many other people. I was proud to have the National Anthem played at my Australian Citizenship ceremony in Wonthaggi.
It is a shame that our national anthem is so embarrassingly awful. Until they we get a better one, councils should refrain from playing/singing it. .
As for our athletes mumbling along, are they any different to other athletes from all over the world mumbling along with their respective Anthems, it doesn't mean that they don't feel great pride just hearing their Anthem played & knowing that it's an acknowledgement for the effort they put in to make our country proud. Is there really anything wrong in feeling national pride when hearing our Anthem, whether you like the particular anthem or not, it represents one's country & we've already been told multiple times that we should be ashamed of so many things that Australia stands for, stand up & be proud to sing the Anthem, every night when I look at the news on T.V I thank God that I live in Australia!
I went to the cricket once and was having a drink in a nearby pub before the match, when a bunch of English fans launched into a rendition of 'Jerusalem'. The pub went quiet and gave them a hearty cheer when they finished. It gave me goosebumps and I thought why can't we have an anthem like that. An anthem people would be happy to sing.
Jerusalem is sometimes called the unofficial anthem of England and below is a link of it being played at the 'Last Night of the Proms'. you will note the audience know the words and are inspired to sing along.
https://youtu.be/sERiPuOQyvo
Personally I think the tune is ok, because unlike many national anthems it doesn't require a good singing range to belt it out!
But the thing is, we haven't got it now & until the powers that be decide to replace our current version if they ever do, the old one is the one that we have & it represents our country! We should be proud to sing it. There's a few songs that the English sing at sporting venue's Peter, apart from Jerusalem & You'll never walk Alone, the English like singing, but you'll find that they sing 'God Save our King' with just as much gusto because it is the official British Anthem & they are proud of it! I think it's about time Australians showed how proud we are of our country, not just by supporting sports but by actively showing pride in the beautiful country we live in, part of that is being proud to sing our anthem even if its not the song of choice!
Peter Not one bit Hypocritical I welcome Immigrants always have always will providing they are invited .You would not allow a stranger to just walk into your home without confronting them and throwing them out Who is the Hypocrite?
Changing the meaning of the Anthem, as you have done, is curious given how you normally so adamant in defending it.
The words in an anthem are important. If words don't matter then you may as well call 'Happy Birthday' the Anthem and sing that.
What sort of role model are we giving to our young people if we continue with insisting on these artificial boundaries that do not marry remotely with geographic and environmental realities? It is one world - always has been and always will be until the sun destroys its solar system. Old colonial attitudes and laws are not at all helpful with the modern situation. Not in any shape or form. Environmental catastrophes such as desertification, species extinctions, erosion, overheated soil causing uncontrollable fires, pollution, sea temperature rise, airborne pollutants circulating the globe on massive air and sea currents, increasing wave height and strength, toxic chemical storages giving way and spilling contents across thousands of square kilometers, etc, etc - none of these respect boundaries. We are all world citizens and need to start behaving as though we are responsible world citizens. Otherwise we are simply not going to survive. Wars over resources will spread like wildfires - literally, because they may well be nuclear wars. So, I ask again - what sort of role model are we giving the young people who will bear the brunt of our actions if we just keep closing ranks, 'defending our borders' claiming we have the law on our side and turning away those in desperate need? Because those same young people are going to have to deal with just those situations. And they may even find themselves as boat people. That is not dystopian fantasy - it is happening as we speak on at least three continents, and even to some of our nearest neighbours in the Pacific. No one ever expects or welcomes becoming a refugee of any kind. Step outside your comfortable privileged paradigm and exercise a little imagination and empathy please.