Vigils took place overnight and rallies are planned around Australia as debate around the national day rages. Follow all the latest news and updates, live
- Invasion Day 2021 rally and protest events
- Grace Tame named 2021 Australian of the Year
- State-by-state restrictions and lockdown rules explained
10.31pm GMT
The chair of the National Australia Day Council, Danielle Roche has been speaking at the national flag raising and citizenship ceremony in Canberra. She says:
Australia Day is a day to reflect, respect, and celebrate. The past 12 months have thrown every imaginable challenge to our nation.
We live on beautiful country, and as Australians, we accept that living among such beauty comes with harsh conditions. Twelve months ago, Australia was only beginning to emerge from a summer of bushfires unprecedented in our lifetimes. Not before the last fires had been extinguished, coronavirus reached our shores. In a few short months, it would go on to become a global pandemic, putting our society, our economy, and our people under unthinkable strain.
The past 12 months is only one chapter of the story of Australia. Our story begins tens of thousands of years ago, and today, we reflect on First Australians’ contribution to our ancient nation. We pause to respect their extensive knowledge of country and legacy of 65,000 years of continuous culture. We respect and celebrate being welcomed to country, and on how even to this day theAustralian identity is so easily defined by our relationship to land, sea, and sky. From salt water to fresh water, from rainforest to the desert, and we respect that for many First Nations people, today is a difficult day.
Our nation is made of many people from hundreds of countries, we speak many languages and follow many faiths. To be Australian is to accept and commit to the values we share. Fairness, equality of opportunity, mutual respect, tolerance, compassion, and the rule of law. We also call this the fair go. It is because of the values we share that today we celebrate our nation’s place in the world, a proud, ancient, multicultural nation, that enjoys freedoms and opportunities other nations only aspire to.
10.21pm GMT
Ngunnawal elder Warren Daley has given the Welcome to Country at the national flag raising and citizenship ceremony.
He said:
I’d also like to take the time to welcome all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and all other nationalities here today, and those receiving their citizenship. For some of you this may be your first Welcome to Country. And in Ngunnawal people, who have been custodians of this land, called Canberra, for over 60,000 years, we have traditions that our elders have passed down to us, and will continue to pass down. Before entering another person’s country, you announce your arrival and not enter until asked or greeted by an elder or traditional owner.
The reason for this practice is it protects your spirit while you’re on another person’s country, but also shows respect to the people in the country you’re entering. So, for those of you who have travelled to be with us today, have a safe and enjoyable journey back to your loved ones, in ending, I like to say… You may leave your foot prints here, and welcome to Ngunnawal country.
Continue reading…Vigils took place overnight and rallies are planned around Australia as debate around the national day rages. Follow all the latest news and updates, liveInvasion Day 2021 rally and protest eventsGrace Tame named 2021 Australian of the YearState-by-state restrictions and lockdown rules explained 10.31pm GMTThe chair of the National Australia Day Council, Danielle Roche has been speaking at the national flag raising and citizenship ceremony in Canberra. She says:Australia Day is a day to reflect, respect, and celebrate. The past 12 months have thrown every imaginable challenge to our nation. We live on beautiful country, and as Australians, we accept that living among such beauty comes with harsh conditions. Twelve months ago, Australia was only beginning to emerge from a summer of bushfires unprecedented in our lifetimes. Not before the last fires had been extinguished, coronavirus reached our shores. In a few short months, it would go on to become a global pandemic, putting our society, our economy, and our people under unthinkable strain. The past 12 months is only one chapter of the story of Australia. Our story begins tens of thousands of years ago, and today, we reflect on First Australians’ contribution to our ancient nation. We pause to respect their extensive knowledge of country and legacy of 65,000 years of continuous culture. We respect and celebrate being welcomed to country, and on how even to this day theAustralian identity is so easily defined by our relationship to land, sea, and sky. From salt water to fresh water, from rainforest to the desert, and we respect that for many First Nations people, today is a difficult day. Our nation is made of many people from hundreds of countries, we speak many languages and follow many faiths. To be Australian is to accept and commit to the values we share. Fairness, equality of opportunity, mutual respect, tolerance, compassion, and the rule of law. We also call this the fair go. It is because of the values we share that today we celebrate our nation’s place in the world, a proud, ancient, multicultural nation, that enjoys freedoms and opportunities other nations only aspire to. 10.21pm GMTNgunnawal elder Warren Daley has given the Welcome to Country at the national flag raising and citizenship ceremony. He said:I’d also like to take the time to welcome all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and all other nationalities here today, and those receiving their citizenship. For some of you this may be your first Welcome to Country. And in Ngunnawal people, who have been custodians of this land, called Canberra, for over 60,000 years, we have traditions that our elders have passed down to us, and will continue to pass down. Before entering another person’s country, you announce your arrival and not enter until asked or greeted by an elder or traditional owner.The reason for this practice is it protects your spirit while you’re on another person’s country, but also shows respect to the people in the country you’re entering. So, for those of you who have travelled to be with us today, have a safe and enjoyable journey back to your loved ones, in ending, I like to say… You may leave your foot prints here, and welcome to Ngunnawal country. Continue reading…