#174 If I was a betting man...
If I was a betting man and odds were available, there would be coin to be made on the date of Australia Day changing during my lifetime.
Of course, I have hopes for a long life, but I do not study the form placing me at a disadvantage when predicting worthwhile punting opportunities, however, I feel it in my bones.
This is not a sign of disrespect, rather, Australia Day is a relatively new concept and the young people of our nation, our next leaders, are much better at acknowledging the past.
Avoiding social media commentary is a must at this time of year for those who have hopes for the future. The bigotry, racism, insensitivity, callousness, and bloody mindedness that spews from those totally incapable of walking in another's shoes is frightening.
To think that people can express what is at worst hatred coupled with a need to humiliate fellow citizens makes me sad and should be a reminder to all of us of the need to call out discrimination.
The Australian rock band Midnight Oil will take to the stage at Launceston’s Royal Park tonight and again on Tuesday as part of Mona Foma and their appearance at the festival is not by chance.
Australians love their music, and they adore the ‘Oils’ with their story-telling lyrics and supreme engagement from lead singer, Peter Garret AM.
For many of us of a certain age we fell in love with Midnight Oil when Blue Sky Mining was released in 1990, reaching number one on the ARIA albums chart. A time when music was our true love and the 7EX Record Bar in Charles Street was a popular hang.
Blue Sky Mine described exposure to asbestos in the Wittenoom mine tragedy; the need for unity in Australia was called for with One Country; the importance of making every attempt to avoid war with Forgotten Years, and caring for the southernmost Continent with Antarctica.
The timing and symbolism of the ‘Oils’ appearance is a provocative statement by the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), who are accomplished at statements, with the band showcasing their music during a week where Australia Day falls on Wednesday.
From epic anthems like Bed are Burning andThe Dead Heart to recent works, The Makarrata Project based on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Midnight Oil has continued to challenge our unconscious bias including the need to say ‘sorry’, reconciliation, and the importance of Treaty with First Nations people.
The Sydney Olympics, described as the greatest Games of the modern era, will be long remembered for Cathy Freeman OAM winning the 400 metres and lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony, and Midnight Oil making a statement to those who felt the same, with ‘sorry’ emblazoned on their black costumes as they performed at the closing ceremony.
The Games was an outstanding success because Australia is expert at organising and hosting sporting events, but also because statements were made that are now considered ahead of their time.
Acceptance of historical wrongs and recognition of the world’s oldest living culture is growing ever so slowly across our community. And, fortunately, the First Nations people have time to wait because as I have been reminded, “Our community is good at waiting - we’ve been waiting for 60,000 years”.
The national apology to the Stolen Generations underpinned by the 54 recommendations of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report would come nearly eight years after the Sydney Olympic Games when former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd AC, whose government although at times shambolic, did good and right, going a small way to making amends in a gesture that was deeply felt across community
And thankfully, it did not require a postal plebiscite for politicians to do their jobs: making courageous and just decisions on our behalf and speaking as much about people as they do the economy.
In recent weeks, there has been further subtle movement towards recognition and acceptance by the community during the test match cricket of the Ashes Series.
A Welcome to Country has become an important part of the pre-match schedule with the Sydney and Hobart Test Matches highlighting the opportunity to bring our country together.
Gadigal Elder Uncle Allen Madden became an instant star with his well-timed quips. “For my first song …” he told the crowd, who paused before embracing unexpected guffaws during a ceremony that normally demands silence.
But it was his final gag that brought the house down, “There’s an old Aboriginal saying out there, and I think it’s very appropriate for you mob here today. They say where there’s a will, there’s relatives," he delivered with the crowd descending into raptures.
At the end of the day, we live in the greatest country in the world, but we can not forget the wrongs that must be made right for all Australians to unite as one. And until that occurs, I will continue to log off from the ‘socials’ each year during this week.