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Hundreds of Canberrans have descended on Parliament House to protest the government’s unwillingness to change the date of Australia Day. Protestors first gathered at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on Tuesday morning before making the march up the hill to Parliament House. The crowd chanted slogans, such as “always was, always will be, Aboriginal land” as local elders spoke of why January 26 was a day of mourning for Indigenous people along with injustices still faced more than two centuries later. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was no escaping the fact January 26 marks the date Australia changed forever. The prime minister argues that is exactly why Australia Day should be held on the date each year. “We do it on this day when the course of this land changed forever,” he said in Canberra on Tuesday. “There is no escaping or cancelling that fact, for better or worse.” – With AAP For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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Hundreds of Canberrans have descended on Parliament House to protest the government’s unwillingness to change the date of Australia Day.
Protestors first gathered at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on Tuesday morning before making the march up the hill to Parliament House.
The crowd chanted slogans, such as “always was, always will be, Aboriginal land” as local elders spoke of why January 26 was a day of mourning for Indigenous people along with injustices still faced more than two centuries later.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was no escaping the fact January 26 marks the date Australia changed forever.
The prime minister argues that is exactly why Australia Day should be held on the date each year.
Protestors marching toward Parliament House on Tuesday morning. Picture: Sarah Basford Canales
“We do it on this day when the course of this land changed forever,” he said in Canberra on Tuesday.
“There is no escaping or cancelling that fact, for better or worse.”
