Okay, the reasons for writing this piece are as follows Australia Day is over for another year, a few days ago I turned my TV on to watch Rage Warumpi Band’s music video for My Island Home was on and I’ve got to much time on my hands so I’m trying to use it productivity.

As we all every year in late January the Australia Day / Invasion Day kicks off about whether it’s right to celebrate Australia’s day on January 26th and that it should be renamed invasion day instead. Australia Day shouldn’t be celebrated on the 26th and no it shouldn’t be renamed invasion day.

Okay, this is probably covered in an Australian History class and for those who can’t remember their Australian History it can all be learnt by using your favourite internet search engine.

The first fleet arrived in Botany Bay in 1788, but Australia did not become Australia until 1901 with The Australian constitution coming into full force on January 1st.

Now if I was to guess why January 26th was chosen we have to move forward from 1788 when on On 26 January 1842, the Colonial Government in Sydney awarded a life pension of 1 shilling a day to three surviving members of the First Fleet. The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser reported, on Saturday 29 January 1842: “The Government have ordered a pension of one shilling per diem to be paid to the survivors of those who came by the first vessel into the Colony. The number of these really ‘old hands’ is now reduced to three, of whom, two are now in the Benevolent Asylum, and the other is a fine hale old fellow, who can do a day’s work with more spirit than many of the young fellows lately arrived in the Colony”

Now hypothetically if there was ever going to be an invasion day I have a possible suggestion as to when it would be historically significant to commemorate such a day. When the first Fleet first arrived in Botany Bay. Though yes the First Fleet landed at Port Jackson on the 26th, but the 26th still shouldn’t be renamed Invasion Day. Here’s why the ships in the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay arriving over the period of 18 to 20 January 1788, and despite all the differences that seperate White Australians, Indigenous Australians and all the Australians who have migrated to Australia I’d like to think that one of the the things that unites us as Australians is a love of public holidays. So I ask you these questions who wants to just shift Australia Day so to January 1st so that we can celebrate Invasion Day on January 26th? And who wants to shift Australia Day to January 1st and commemorate Invasion Day over 3 days January 18th to January 20th?

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser Article Saturday 29 January 1842