People have their say on Australia Day

Australia Day was no picnic for inner city parks as protestors took over the Treasury and Fitzroy Gardens to present their political views of what is becoming the most controversial day of the year.

Kim Campbell, a resident of East Melbourne, said Fitzroy Gardens was the quietest she’d seen it in terms of picnics.

“Every day has been full during lockdown,” she said. “It’s normally chocka on Australia Day.”

Just one picnicker turned up in the Fitzroy Gardens. Dennis Hall drove 300 kilometres from Bairnsdale and set up outside Captain Cook’s cottage.

“I have a particularly strong view about Australian democracy and celebrating the day for democracy,” he told Inner City News.

He sat and ate his sausages outside the cottage while flying an Australian flag.

Just over the rise, tens of thousands of protestors were objecting to the celebration of Australia Day, preferring to call it Invasion Day.

The well-organised march proceeded in bubbles from Parliament House, down Bourke St, along Swanston St, up Flinders St to Treasury Gardens where protestors dispersed.

There were more people carrying Aboriginal flags in the gardens than Australian ones.

The march was organised by the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance and it attracted supporters from all over the city who object to celebrating Australia Day because of its connection with racism.

Some attacked the statue of Captain Cook in Swanston St while others quietly gathered with mates to show solidarity for the cause.

Jasmine Firebrace and her brothers and sisters from Fairfield came to the march to meet their cousins from Richmond.

She said her tribe was from New South Wales but the issue was “too political” to make a statement about Australia Day.

She was happy to be photographed with her slogan: “No room for racism.”

People made up their own slogans, some written on the back of Mountain Goat cartons, others on dogs.

“Change the date. Don’t get on the beers” was the advice of one protestor and another commenting on the period since the first fleet’s arrival wrote: “wasn’t exactly a flash 233 years either, ya bastard.”

Wurundjeri elder Bill Nicholson supervised a smoking ceremony. Call me “Uncle Bill”, he said.

“The smoke is a physical cleanser. It shows we’re part of the environment. It’s cleansing of the spirit.”

Protestors chanted: “Always was, always will, be Aboriginal land.” •