Australian prime minister Scott Morrison too often lives up to this “Scotty from Marketing” nickname by treating issues as if they were just another PR campaign. Occasionally, though, he finds his mettle, such as in standing up to China’s bullying and lies. Defending Australia’s national day from the wokescolds is another.
As Australia steels itself for the annual Festival of Leftist Pissing and Moaning, Morrison has drawn a deep line in the sand: leave Australia Day alone.
The Morrison government has bluntly told councils not to use COVID-19 as an excuse to play politics with Australia Day, as a growing number of councils cancel celebrations on January 26.
The government is demanding councils conduct in-person citizenship ceremonies on January 26 but many are pushing ahead with plans to have dramatically scaled-down events on the day.
Politics is downstream from culture and the left are determined to chip away at every revered Australian cultural institution in order to impose their political agenda. As Orwell noted, national self-loathing is also a de rigeur stance for “progressives”.
Attacking Australia Day fills both agendas.
Local councils are required to perform citizenship ceremonies on January 26, with their powers stripped if they do not comply. But many councils are deciding to hold their Australia Day festivities on other days.
Perth’s Fremantle council, Sydney’s Inner West, Byron Bay Shire, Melbourne’s Moreland, Yarra and Darebin, and Tasmania’s Flinders Island will not hold any Australia Day celebrations, instead commemorating Aboriginal Australians.
Because it’s not like we don’t have any other days “commemorating Aboriginal Australians”… only National Close the Gap Day, Harmony Day, National Sorry Day, National Reconciliation Week, Mabo Day, National NAIDOC Week, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, and International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. But apart from those.
But just one, lousy day of celebration for all Australians for being Australian sends the left into conniptions.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said there was no need for councils to divide Australians over the January 26 date after the punishing pandemic year[…]
“For any council seeking to play politics with Australia Day citizenship ceremonies, our message is simple — don’t. Australians need this sort of negative bickering less than ever at this challenging time.”
What’s particularly notable is the enthusiasm that so many migrants show for their adoptive country, contrary to the endlessly-aggrieved wokesters.
Amabelle Gernan is excited ahead of becoming an Australian citizen on January 26. Originally from the Philippines, she has been living in Australia for six years, and will become an Australian citizen this Australia Day in North Sydney.
She will attend the ceremony with her husband Eric, and 16-year old daughter Angela who will also becoming a citizen.
“I am so excited. My husband’s hard work has paid off. He did everything to make it happen so it’s really a celebration for him too,” Ms Gernan said. “The expense and the documentation from the start … from the first visa, PR, and now citizenship, my husband has organised it all.
“This country is a great country, I love living here and now I have peace of mind knowing my daughter will have a better future here. I feel so at peace here. This is a safe country, knowing things back home are not that safe, I know that this is a great place to raise a family.”
Jagdish Singh, 75, will also be made an Australian on January 26[…]with his children living in Melbourne and his grandchildren born on Australian soil, Mr Singh says his home is now in Australia.
“I call Australia home now and here is where my home is and my heart is,” he said.
The Australian
Perhaps some of the Australia Day haters could benefit from talking to migrants and learning just why Australia really is worth celebrating, not denigrating. Unlike perpetually-aggrieved ingrates who’ve never known anything but Australia’s largesse, some people have more than earned the right to call themselves “Australian”.
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