Monuments defaced as Australians protest, celebrate national day
Melbourne, Australia Reuters Two historic statues were damaged in Melbourne ahead of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, with tens of thousands of people across the country joining protests in support of Aboriginal groups who say the date is not one to cheer. A statue of colonist John Batman, a founder of the country’s second-largest city […]
Thousands protest Australia Day holiday with ‘Invasion Day’ rallies
Sydney, Australia Reuters Thousands marked Australia’s national day on Friday with “Invasion Day” rallies in support of the country’s Indigenous community, many of whom want to drop celebrations or move the date. Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established the state of New South Wales a penal colony, arriving in what is now the state […]
Thousands rally for ‘Invasion Day’ protests on Australia Day holiday
Updated: 10:55pm (AEST) Sydney, Australia Reuters Thousands of Australians marked the country’s national holiday on Thursday with rallies in support of the nation’s Indigenous people, many of whom describe the anniversary of the day a British fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour as “Invasion Day”. In Sydney, the capital of New South Wales – Australia’s most […]
Protests, citizenship festivities mark contentious Australia Day holiday
Melbourne, Australia Reuters Thousands rallied against the mistreatment of Indigenous people across Australia on Wednesday as citizenship ceremonies took place to mark the country’s national day intended to celebrate the birth of the modern Australia. The 26th January public holiday marks the date the British fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1788 to start a […]
Aboriginal Christian leaders call for nation to take part in ‘Change The Heart’ prayer service on eve of Australia Day
Sydney, Australia Australians who want to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ahead of Australia Day next week are being encouraged to take part in this year’s annual ‘Change the Heart’ prayer service. Christian organisation Common Grace says ‘Change The Heart‘ is a time to listen, learn and pray for a nation built on […]
Stolen but not silent: Indigenous Australians protest national celebrations
Sydney, Australia Reuters As Australia holds a national day of festivities on 26th January, Indigenous woman Rita Wright will be protesting the celebrations at a march in Sydney. Australia Day marks the date the British fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1788 to start a penal colony, viewing the land as unoccupied despite encountering settlements. […]
World Vision agronomist Tony Rinaudo honoured in Australia Day awards
World Vision agronomist Tony Rinaudo – who has spent more than 35 years working with communities to regenerate degraded lands across Asia and Africa – is among those honoured in this year’s Australia Day awards. Rinaudo, who has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, said he hoped the award “spurs a conversation […]
Essay: We’re awarding the Order of Australia to the wrong people
In an article first published on The Conversation, NICHOLAS GRUEN, adjunct professor in the University of Technology Sydney’s Business School, calls for a rethinking of Australia’s awards system ahead of Australia Day…
Call for Australian Christians to attend Aboriginal-led prayer services in lead-up to Australia Day
Christian Aboriginal leader Aunty Jean Phillips has joined with justice movement Common Grace in inviting Australian Christians to attend services of “acknowledgement, lament and prayer” in the two weeks leading up to Australia Day on 26th January. Aboriginal-led prayer services are being held in every state and territory capital as well as some regional centres […]
Essay: Australia Day grace
Baptist minister MEGAN POWELL DU TOIT, in an article first published by Ethos: EA Centre for Christianity and Society, reflects on how she came to the decision not to celebrate Australia Day on 26th January…