Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Hansard source

This highlights how the teaching of Australian history has been downgraded in our schools. Let me put it in context. This morning, the New South Wales Labor Minister for Education and Training was asked about the teaching of Australian history. She was trumpeting the success of her government in teaching Australian history. She was asked why we celebrate Australia Day. She said:

Why do we celebrate Australia Day? Well, we celebrate Australia Day because that’s the—um—the day we became a nation, when the states joined together, the Federation of Australia. It’s an important day to understand that history.

Memo to the New South Wales Labor education minister: Australia Day commemorates 26 January 1788. Federation was on 1 January 1901.

See this speech in context