In 2019 we have yet again been assailed with reasons as to why January 26 is not the right date to celebrate our country.  

We have also heard from many who believe the current date for Australia Day is as it should be.

Arguments for and against the current date for Australia Day are such that proponents of a new date are attacked for their troubles; as are those who support the status quo. Waleed Aly, whose opinion carries no more weight than yours or mine, has been attacked on social media for being flippant about Australia Day. 

I personally don't watch the TV shows that Waleed Aly appears on, but is it not supposed to be part of Australian culture that we can laugh at ourselves?

On the other hand, we have those in favour of keeping January 26 as our national day; people who, in general terms, are white conservative politicians.  

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's plan is that instead of changing the date for Australia Day, we should have a 'special day' to celebrate our indigenous peoples. 

Morrison's plan will keep Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton happy, but very few others.   

Deputy Leader of the Nationals, Bridget McKenzie, has done so much research into Australia Day that she stated in a news interview, that January 26 "commemorated when Captain Cook stepped ashore".

So let us have a debate as to whether January 26 is the appropriate date to celebrate Australia Day.  

For my part, I fail to see why we should commemorate a day when minor criminals started what was, for all intents and purposes, a prison sentence of 'life'.  

Nor should we celebrate a day when Australia was annexed by the British utilising the lie of Terra Nullius – ie that no one lives here.

I am Australian and bloody proud of it but, in my opinion, Australia Day must be for 'all' Australians, not just the white majority.  

So lets get on with it and find a new date for Australia Day.

In response to the “headlines” in my letter to the editor of the Cootamundra Herald, January 25.

“All councillors to blame on the merged council”. I would like to make the statement on the above.

First, that headline is the words of the editor, it was not in my letter, which I have a copy for anyone to see.

My point on the merger, the then mayor for Gundagai and myself as mayor for Cootamundra, we were both phoned at 7am on the day, from the office of local government Sydney, under the directions of the then minister for local government, Mr Paul Toole, that the decision had been made by minister that Cootamundra Shire Council and Gundagai Shire Council would be merged into a new council end of story, all councillors were shocked.

“Nothing to do with any councillors from Cootamundra and Gundagai”. What I am saying is recommendation came solely for the then minister Mr Paul Toole so no blame on any of the then councillors in Cootamundra and Gundagai.

Do you have something you need to get off your chest? 

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