January 26: A Day Of Mourning For Indigenous Australians

Australians across the country will “celebrate” Australia Day today, January 26. 

Many believe it ought to be scrapped as a day of celebration out of respect for Indigenous Australians who consider the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 as an invasion – a colonisation of First Nations.  

Teela Reid is an indigenous lawyer and practitioner in residence at Sydney University Law School. 

She believes Australia Day celebrations on January 26 should be abolished.

“I certainly think that Australia Day as a celebration should be abolished, and that it should be marked as a day of mourning,” she said on The Briefing.

“So if we, if we move the celbratory part of it to another day… what’s there to celebrate?

“But what’s there to celebrate, tell me?”

Tom and Antoinette explore what this day means for First Nations people, but crucially what role all Australians can play in changing our country’s narrative and trajectory.

What needs to happen to actually have something to “celebrate” and for all Australians to move forward together.

Listen now to hear from Teela Reid on The Briefing:

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