We've reached out to a group of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non Indigenous Australians to find out their perspectives and opinions on Australia Day, and changing the date. Please respect that this article serves as a platform for people to safely share their opinions on the topic.
Zoe Jazz (author of http://aintnoplanetb.com), believes the date should be changed.
Photo by Zoe Jazz
"Yes, of course let's change the date. "Australia" Day should be about unity among ALL Australians. If it's not inclusive (for any reason) then these areas of tension should be resolved. So yeah, changing the date seems trivial, right? Let's just get it sorted," Jazz states.
"Australia Day is a bit of a catchall so we should also have a separate event that specifically acknowledges and celebrates the traditional owners of the land. This event is important for knowledge sharing and cultural competency among non indigenous people. I'm picturing NAIDOC, but with more federal recognition. A public holiday is a great way to penetrate the lives of every person.
Also, can we add 'Dark Emu' to the required reading list for every high school student? That'd be great."
You can follow Zoe Jazz on Instagram here.
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