Recent debate about when Australia Day should be celebrated prompted local Aboriginal elder Richard Davis to say what he thinks during the Welcome to Country at the Wollongong Citizenship Ceremony on Saturday.
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Repeating what he said at Wollongong City Council’s Australia Day Awards ceremony at Villa D’Oro on Tuesday night Mr Davis said he thinks it should be left as it is.
He said in the past elders had fought for the rights of Aboriginal people and changing the date would not be doing the right thing by them.
“I think it divides the country even more by adding another day. We do have other days we can celebrate like NAIDOC Day and NAIDOC Week. Australia Day is for everyone to come together,” he said.
By coming together Mr Davis said it is a chance for Australia as a nation to reflect on, learn from and understand things that have happened in the past so we don’t go down the same path again.
“We need to move forward as a community and as a nation,” he said.
“And I think by celebrating Australia Day on the same day for everyone just reflects that we can come together as a nation. And I think we need to reflect more and promote more Aboriginal culture on Australia Day”.
Mr Davis welcomed all the new citizens present at the ceremony at Wollongong Town Hall.
He said people from all parts of world have come to make Australia their home and it was also important to respect and understand every culture.
He said if we can all do that it will make our society and community a better place for everyone.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
