John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) in 1946, the Commonwealth and state governments agreed that 26 January each year would be celebrated as Australia Day,

  (ii) each year on 26 January numerous Australians are honoured with national and local awards,

  (iii) award ceremonies in towns and villages across the nation on 26 January are preceded by a Welcome to Country which acknowledges the traditional owners of the land,

  (iv) a national poll of 1,156 people has found that the majority 68 per cent felt positive about Australia Day, and just 15 per cent would prefer Australia Day on another date,

  (v) on 26 January this year a number of protest marches were conducted which were organised by a group with links to the Greens and unions,

  (vi) at the Sydney march, an Australian flag was set alight which led to a violent confrontation between police and protestors,

  (vii) Australian Greens Senator Rhiannon herself acknowledged in a news report of 27 January 2017, that the Greens are radical and anti-establishment and she would like more people to see them that way;

(b) condemns any attempt to burn or otherwise desecrate the Australian flag; and

(c) confirms that Australia Day will continue to be celebrated on 26 January each year.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We do not support this motion. We should have a day where we celebrate this great country of ours, celebrate its magnificent Indigenous history and celebrate the many waves of migration that followed, but 26 January, the day of dispossession, is not that day. Our entire national wealth was built from that moment, but we still have not paid the rent—no treaty, no constitutional recognition and very little progress. Celebrating on 26 January is an insult to the owners of this land from whom we have taken so much but given so little.

The Greens do not want to see the Australian flag burn because we do not believe that is how you change hearts and minds but we sure as hell do not believe that people should be locked up for it. By the way, it is about time we changed the flag while we are at it. The motion cites a poll. I would be wary of citing polls, because you know what happened last time the coalition got worried about polls? They changed their leader.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition will not be supporting this motion, because, as a matter of principle, we cannot support motions that amount to a personal attack on individual senators. We do proudly support our national day, Australia Day, which should be a day of national celebration and national pride, where we can celebrate all of the good things that it means to be Australian and the great fortune we have to live in this country, the best country on earth. But, of course, this does not mean forgetting our national scars. The opposition understands that for many first Australians this date still carries much sadness, following too many long years of indignities, great and small. The opposition believes that as a nation we must honour the keepers of the world's oldest living culture, the caretakers of this ancient continent, and pledge ourselves to working together for a more equal future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I also want to be clear in saying that violence has no place in the celebrations of our national day or any part to play in our communities at all. Violence will not right past wrongs and it will not create a better future. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Williams be agreed to.

Question agreed to.