Australia Day

10:32 Jan 26th, 2012 | 0 notes

It is a date on the calendar almost designed to stir up controversy. On the 26th of January each year we celebrate who we are as a nation, remembering that this day in 1788 marks the moment when the British first landed on the shores of Botany Bay, changing forever the history of our arid continent. 224 years later, we are a country of 23 million people, from every island, continent and land on earth. Together we have created the most prosperous society in the world. Our poor are climbing out of poverty faster than their global counterparts, our middle class is the highest paid on earth. Our government and our businesses have created an environment where any one can succeed, regardless of where they come from or how rich their parents were. We live longer, are better educated and are healthier than nearly all other peoples across the globe. Our pragmatism has stood us in good stead in this world of economic uncertainties, forged by a consensus to do what is right by our citizens, not by what is most politically expedient.

 

But this national day is not just to celebrate our success. The benign and innocent choice of January 26th may be the most significant decision we have made to remind us of what we have left to do. Our history has scars, one’s we freely acknowledge, and rather than ignore them, or write them off, we must use their memory to make this great nation a better place for everyone. While there are those in our society who do not share in our prosperity, comfort and security, let us use those scars as a clarion call to do what is necessary so that they one day will. 

 

As the sun sets, every man, woman, and child should remember why we all chose to live in the Great Souther Land. We have forged a country based on personal freedom, one of equal opportunity, where every man can speak his mind, and every woman, hers. We lend a helping hand to those in need, we dig deep into our national psyche for strength during hard times. We espouse values cherished by all and striven for by all other. We prize our diversity, and recognize that our cohesion cements with each passing day. At the center of it all lies a social compact, an intrinsic acknowledgement of the worth of others, of our equality and united vision, encapsulated in a single word that sums up the spirit of a nation: ‘mate’.

 

We are unique. Our first people arrived 60,000 years ago. Our newest are joining us today. We have made mistakes, we have triumphed. We are one, we are many. Today, our differences are thrown aside and we stand united with pride and proclaim, ‘We are Australian’.

 

Happy Australia Day.