The 26th of January is the day when Australia celebrates its beginning or birth as some might call it. As the years go by, more people than ever want the date changed as a way in considering that it was also a date that started the beginning of a dreadful time for the indigenous people that lived here for tens of thousands of years. Captain Cook did not ‘discover’ Australia. Today, indigenous people still die earlier, are likely to be imprisoned at far greater numbers, and have much higher rates of suicides than white people. Their plight is still steeped in so much misery, and all that after so many decades of neglect! It is not surprising they see the celebration on 26th of January as an insult and couple it to a date that they see as an invasion of their country. Captain Cook did not ‘discover’ Australia. He merely started Australia as a penal colony for the British and from then Australia gave the aboriginals a terrible time.
It is also not surprising that our present PM Mr Scott Morrison, will have nothing to do to with changing this date that both, the white ‘invaders’ and the original Australians might agree to. Mr Morrison is now trying to whip us up in a national frenzy of flag waving and car tooting horns. He is proposing to spend millions of dollars to get a copy of the Captain Cook’s boat and sail it around Australia. He is hoping to revive national pride and a rise in his flagging popularity that will transcribe in a vote for his Liberal- National party at the next election in May. Photos are now distributed of him surrounded by aboriginals all decked out in black and white and Mr Morrison holding a spear. He is currying favours showing he is a good friend of the aboriginals.
His hope in reviving this form of nationalism is in direct opposition of warnings that the world should concentrate on global issues and not go the way of the US in withdrawing from a global world and revelling in making a nation go in reverse, to make it ‘great again’.
If we go on celebrating this Captain Cook event, lets reflect that it was the Dutch that landed here before captain Cook and before the Dutch there were traders from other countries as well. If we are celebrating anything we should reflect 1973 when Australia finally discontinued with a ‘White Australian policy’ it was as racist as it could be. We barred coloured people from permanent residency till that date. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Australia_policy
Even today we still hold thousands of refugees in detention. If I had to nominate any one for honours on the 26th of January I would name Julian Burnside, the QC who has worked tirelessly in freeing the refugees on Nauru and Manus. He fights for Human Rights and Refugees.
What do you reckon, dear readers?
Tags: Aboriginals, British, Captain Cook, Invaders, Penal Colony, Scott Morrison, White Australia Policy
Oosterman Treats Blog 
January 25, 2019 at 1:23 am |
I get so angry with all the hoohah ScoMo is going on with. He and his merry mob are in for a rude shock at the next election, I do believe. I hope so hard that Mr Dutton gets his walking papers, too.
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January 25, 2019 at 2:02 am |
Yes, Yvonne. He, our present ( but not for long) Prime Mister is trying to whip us up into an Australia that is based on the past. He now wants people at naturalisation ceremonies to be dresses decently, not in board shorts or hairy armpits.
He wants ‘real’ future Australians. He is not mentioning though that despite all that furore of Australia is the best and the moistest, he keeps quiet that our sworn allegiance is to the English Queen.
Hang on, where is all that Aussi oi, oi oi? How come we haven’t as yet thrown off the yokes of our colonial past?
Independence day, now that would be something to celebrate!
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January 25, 2019 at 7:38 am |
Yvonne, I so hope you are foretelling the future.
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January 25, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Like rats, ministers are now queueing up to leave a sinking ship.
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January 25, 2019 at 1:50 am |
Hi Gez. Let’s get this straight. Jan 26 has bugger all to do with Cook – check out the Pigs Arms post – “Was Cook Australis’s First Nazi ?”
26 Jan was when Arthur Bloggs dumpedvthe first load of crims in Botany Bay.
The real Australia Day – when all the states became a Federation called the Commonwealth of Australia happened on Jan 1 1901. But that day off was taken – a massive oversight by our founding fathers. I’m still curious about why mothers birth every baby but fathers birthed the country.
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January 25, 2019 at 2:19 am |
Captain Cook wasn’t the culprit. On the 26. of January we celebrate the arrival of the First Fleet under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip.
Of course, it is the wrong date to celebrate the subjugation and genocide of the native population.
All the arguments for the National Day are understood but even if some Aborigines do some dancing on 26. January it is still not right.
The National Day of all Australians should be the day we sign a treaty with the Koori population.
I will not vote for Labour in the upcoming election because Bill Shorten dismissed the wish of many people to change the date of Australia Day.
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January 25, 2019 at 2:22 am |
It wasn’t Botany Bay either, but right at what later become Circular Quay. The crims, as you call them, are leading the country now.
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January 25, 2019 at 2:30 am
Sorry, can’t agree. The landing spot was and remains at Kurnell on Botany Bay. There’s a plaque there. Phillip’s mob relied on scarce fresh water from the Botany Swamps and sent out a search party who discovered the finest harbour in the World and named it Port Jackson after a brand of cigarettes that would become popular 170 years later.
They discovered a fresh water stream – the Tank Stream – that entered Port Jackson as you correctly noted at Farm Cove .
Some remnants of the bricked over Tank Stream are visible under glass in one of the CBD’s skyscraper foyers. 😊
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January 25, 2019 at 2:32 am
You’re definitely right about the crims – who my late father described as “poofters and dunces”.
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January 25, 2019 at 4:21 am
Of course, attempts are being made to make the giving of Australian awards more reflective of those on a social and compassionate grounds and away from the usual business and sporting spivs. So many of those awarded the highest honours and winners of Australian awards have found to be unworthy.
Here is a short list of them and include.”POLITICAL leaders, high-flying entrepreneurs, sports stars, entertainers, fake war heroes and religious leaders are among prominent Australians stripped of the nation’s highest honours after disgracing themselves.
The Herald Sun some years back revealed the full list of those deemed unfit to remain members of the Order of Australia.
Thirty-nine prominent Australians have had their awards terminated or have handed them back after committing crimes or other unacceptable behaviour, half since 2000.
The list of shamed former award holders includes billionaire Dick Pratt, former TV funnyman Steve Vizard, former Federal Court judge Marcus Einfeld, disgraced former Geelong mayor Frank de Stefano and jailed tycoon Alan Bond.
The names of those who are terminated, cancelled or resign from the Order are published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, but the reasons for them being axed from the Order are not disclosed.” https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/social-leaders-stripped-of-honours-after-falling-from-grace/news-story/486c6a67cf039ec6c34f6758c0640582
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January 25, 2019 at 10:53 am
Great blog giving some home truths. Agree totally on merits of work by Julian Burnside but rewarding him wouldn’t cut it with likes of Dutton or indeed Morrison. Ok don’t think he was Ozy of the year but don’t forget ex LIBERAL PARTY PRESIDENT John Elliot who wreaked havoc with dubious business dealing. Stripped country business icon Elders etc etc Christofer Skates also comes to mind as a scroundel. So many crooks, why ? Is there a link to the past mother land ?
The tank stream has access adjacent to the two Australia Square buildings in Sydney.
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January 25, 2019 at 10:09 pm
I thought that last night’s winners of the best Australians was a pretty good event. I like ‘The Baker Boy’, He came across as a very genuine bloke. A real Australian. The only irritant was Scott Morrison with his over the top blatant nationalistic babble.
It must have been a hot affair sitting in that hall at 40C. many were seen to fan themselves with their programmes.
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January 25, 2019 at 3:06 am |
You are right in regard to the spot at Kurnell, it was the same spot where Captain Cook landed. But this is not the official date and spot we are celebrating now, Botany Bay was only a stopover, so to speak.
Those “dangerous” passengers were offloaded at Port Jackson. For the passengers, it turned out to be a cruise of no return.
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January 25, 2019 at 3:36 am
Bit like a Contiki tour ? 😊
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January 25, 2019 at 4:41 am
It has always been a bit of confusing history, Berlioz.
Kurnell, Botany Bay, Iron Cove. Port Jackson. In Cricket they talk about the ‘Gabba’ and ‘Tourists.’ I suppose all a result of mixing things up a bit.
Will I ever make a good Aussie?
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January 25, 2019 at 4:06 am |
When I spent some time in the UK, and stayed in Yorkshire on the coast, it was a amazing how many BBs advertised as Captain Cook original cottages. They are as confused as we still seem to be. With time so much of history seems to change,
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January 25, 2019 at 4:39 am
I think you were being too Hastings.
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January 26, 2019 at 2:08 am
Difficult, as it was deconstructed, then reconstructed in Melbourne decades ago. I guess it’s like splinters of the cross, enough in the last two millennia to fill a forest.
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January 25, 2019 at 6:21 am |
I wish the best for Australia and especially all the peoples of Australia.
So many countries today need to make major changes in how they treat people.
I shall google Mr. Burnside and learn about him.
I hope Australia Day will be a good day and good things will happen.
(((HUGS))) for you and Helvi! 🙂
PATS for Milo! 🙂
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January 25, 2019 at 8:54 pm |
Julian Burnside is one of the great people of Australia. He is a really enlightened person and hated by the politicians. The good people in Australia have solch influence.
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January 26, 2019 at 7:56 am
Thank you, Peter. I enjoyed researching him and reading about his life and work!
Some days I wonder where all the good leaders have gone and who will replace the few left who will some day retire or pass on. 😦
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January 25, 2019 at 10:16 pm |
Yes, last evening on TV we watched the top Australians to get their awards. They all were good people. The Thai-cave rescuers were recognized and both became the very best Australians of the year. A further almost 1100 Australians were also given Australian Orders of this and that. The usual line-up of film stars, sporting heroes, one woman who supported the trucking industry. various dog rescuers etc.
I believe I was almost nominated and given an Order for being the best supporter of the Curmudgeon’s arts.
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January 26, 2019 at 7:58 am
Oh, good! on all the good people! 🙂
OOH! Was it an honor just to almost-be nominated?! HA! 🙂
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January 26, 2019 at 12:33 am |
Sounds like Captain Cook is going through some of the same revisions as Christopher Columbus. –Curt
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January 26, 2019 at 12:43 am |
Yes, The US too had culture and people living peaceful lives well before Columbus. The American Indian too suffered as a consequence of the ‘discovery.’
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January 26, 2019 at 12:39 am |
For the overseas residents that might visit Oosterman Treats. Australia has a yearly event whereby people receive various awards and honours.
Here is a list of them; Australia Day Honours list awards:
•Companion of the Order (AC)
•Officer of the Order (AO)
•Member of the Order (AM)
•Medal of the Order (OAM)
I am not sure why it is called an ‘Order’. It is not like a court order. Those that get this order, don’t have to follow any orders or obey any rules except to be good people and remain good. Some don’t remain in ‘good order’ and therefore have to confiscate or relinquish the ‘Order.’
Anyone who ever follows parliament debating might have heard a man on an elevated chair shouting ‘order, order.’ That means people have to behave and not break out in chaos. It is all part of a ritual called; ‘The Westminster system.’
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January 26, 2019 at 2:16 am |
To be honest, I think this ‘change the date’ activism to be a beat up. I do (or did) have had plenty to do with Indigenous people in my work. Lots of these folk go against the grain of the ‘change the daters’ in stating that they actually enjoy improvements in lifestyle, including transport, mobile phones, computers, health care, etc. Some even think we should all just enjoy a few beverages together and try to move forwards.
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January 26, 2019 at 5:02 am |
Yes, but at the same time I think there are a few who think that all they had since the Captain Cook discovery, was a raw deal.
If a date is agreed on by all parties it would make everyone happy. We can do all get together without rancour and get a skinful. ( in moderation)
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