Australia Day

The Australia Day is Australia's official national holiday and is celebrated on 26 January. He recalls the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788.

Celebrations

The Australia Day is a public holiday. For some years he was celebrated on the nearest Monday to allow a long weekend. Today it is celebrated on the actual anniversary; However, this falls on a weekend, the following Monday is also free.

Traditionally held of events on Australia Day a number. These include the awarding of the title of the Order of Australia and the Australian of the Year as well as speeches by the Governor General and the Prime Minister. Often, the anniversary of towns and cities with a fireworks display. The biggest event on the occasion of Australia Day takes place every year in Perth, where more than a third of residents line the banks of the Swan River.

Criticism

Some Australians are neutral to the celebration of Australia Day and consider it as ordinary holiday. A minority of the Australian population sees the holiday even with great skepticism: You complain that the arrival of the British considerable influence on the lives of Indigenous Australians, the Aborigines had. So the day is from those referred to as Invasion Day or Survival Day and you criticize in this context that the day ultimately celebrates the subjugation of Aboriginal people.

Proposals for the change of date

It has been proposed that the ANZAC Day to make the Australian public or alternatively to move on the 1st of January, to commemorate the January 1, 1901, on which the six independent Australian colonies joined forces with the Commonwealth of Australia. Proponents of the current situation have placed in that it is a historical date to handle the January 26, comparable to the French National Day or Independence Day in the USA.