Australia Day has never been unifying
Fatima Measham
Let's be clear. Australia Day, in its various iterations over the life of the commonwealth, has never been unifying. The earliest form on record was an exclusive dinner party in 1817 attended by 40 people at the postmaster's house, marking the anniversary of the New South Wales colony.
Subsequent affairs were private and 'official', given that the convicts that comprised most of the population at the time 'were not encouraged to celebrate', and probably were not inclined anyway. Hardly an egalitarian background for a national day.
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