We’ve had two major signs in the past week that Australians are fed up with being divided by race. The first is the Melbourne Storm NRL club’s decision to drop its regular Welcome to Country ceremonies.
The second is Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s bold stance against the idea of a three-flag nation.
The Failure of Welcome to Country Ceremonies
Let’s be real – treating non-Aboriginal Australians as strangers in their own country was always a recipe for disaster. These ceremonies were meant to be inclusive, but instead, they became a symbol of racial division. I attended a Telstra event last month where a white guy (yes, as white as me!) babbled about his Scottish ancestry before telling us an Aboriginal maxim he’d imagined – essentially telling whites to “go away, come back another day”. It was cringeworthy, to say the least.
Dutton Stands Up Against Racial Division
Peter Dutton’s announcement that he’d stand in front of just the Australian flag, and not the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ones as well, was a breath of fresh air. It’s a clear sign that he understands that playing the race card is no longer a winning strategy. In fact, it’s likely to get you a hard smack from Australians who are sick of being disparaged and divided.
Labor Still Doesn’t Get It
Despite the clear signs, Labor still seems to think that dividing Australians by race is a good idea. Victoria’s Socialist Left Labor government has killed off the traditional Australia Day parade, citing it as too divisive. Meanwhile, ministers of the Albanese government have abused Dutton for wanting to unite Australians under one flag. It’s a case of “do as I say, not as I do” – Labor’s own divisive politics are roaring ahead, while they hypocritically accuse others of being divisive.
The Left’s Hypocrisy
The leftist Sydney Morning Herald accused Dutton of “disgusting, divisive short-term politics” – but isn’t that exactly what Labor has been doing for years? Dutton wants to unite us under one flag, while Labor wants to create an Aboriginal-only advisory parliament. Who’s really dividing Australians here?
Importing Division
We’re importing half a million strangers a year, many from cultures at odds with our own. At the same time, many Australians are financially struggling. No wonder people are nervous, telling pollsters we’re heading in the wrong direction. We’ve got Muslim radicals preaching Jew hatred, synagogues being firebombed, and Aboriginal extremists demanding “sovereignty”. And to top it all off, about 180 councils are so ashamed of our past that they won’t hold Australia Day citizenship ceremonies.
The Writing’s on the Wall
Labor needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Australians voted against its Voice referendum last year, and they smashed Woolworths with a consumer boycott when it banned Australia Day merchandise. Just two weeks ago, they crushed the Australian Venue Co when it tried to ban Australia Day celebrations at its pubs. This is Labor’s fatal weakness – it will go the way of Woolies if it doesn’t drop its politics of racial division.
A New Date for Australia Day?
If Labor is so upset about celebrating Australia Day on January 26, then perhaps it’s time to suggest an alternative date. How about October 14, the anniversary of the day Australians voted against the Voice? It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate our nation under one flag, united and equal.