DEAR News Of The Area,

THE ideal concept of Australia Day is that it is a day of unity and harmony that celebrates our land and the best of our culture.

It follows that the date chosen for this celebration needs to be free of any connections to disunity, disharmony, division or associations with suffering for any of the groups that make up the nation.

It is clear that 26 January does not meet these requirements.

Since at least 1938 that date has been seen as a day of mourning for many descendants of those Australians who inhabited this land before 1788.

If we continue with that particular date, even if a majority want to, then Australia Day will always fail to be what it is intended to be.

There is a good case to change to a date in May associated with the true beginning of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 – an occasion free of negative associations.

Regards,
John GRAY,
Coffs Harbour.