The building blocks of a great nation
Australia Day is a time to put aside antagonism, writes Reg A. Watson
AUSTRALIA Day is a day of celebration, a day free from politics. It is a time to come together and put aside any antagonism which divides us throughout much of the year. A time of barbecues, flying the flag, getting together with family and mates; reflecting on our national achievements and being proud of who we are, not in a vain way, but in the way of honouring those who helped build this nation.
It is easy to be critical. No nation or race of people is perfect. However, what we have accomplished in a short time is nothing less than amazing. We are a young nation and in this, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in error by changing the words “young’’ in our national anthem, Advance Australia Fair. He announced the change on Federation Day, January 1, the very same day we became 120 years old. This is a young nation in anyone’s estimation. Some Middle East countries go back thousands of years. “We are young and free” so the stanza went. While it was unnecessary to change the word “young” I am not sure we are “free” any more. There have been disturbing trends over recent decades for our freedom to be in jeopardy. Nonetheless, we must have done something right because it appears most of the world wants to live here.
There should be no need to mention why January 26 was chosen for our national day. It is an established fact in history. There are those who suggest the national day should be January 1, Federation Day. That is when we became a nation in our own right. Before that we were six independent colonies. At the turn of the 20th century Queen Victoria recommended the coming-together of the colonies into one nation. On May 9, 1901, the first parliament, after being opened by the Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V), met in the Exhibition Building Melbourne. More than 12,000 people attended. It was a small nation in a huge land mass. Just 4 million people, yet already with a vibrant hum about it. Our cities were booming as were our railways, mines, pastoral industry and farms, and our manufacturing industries.
After a short time we fought a major war, World War I, with great distinction and at the Treaty of Versailles signed the peace agreement as an independent country separate from the Mother Country, Great Britain.
There are always building blocks or foundation stones on which nations are built. January 1, 1901 would not have happened if January 26, 1788 did not occur. It was led by a very able naval officer, half English, half German, Governor Arthur Phillip, and a raw and harsh settlement at Sydney Cove began. He moved the colony from Botany Bay first mapped by Captain James Cook. Phillip anchored at Botany Bay on January 19. He looked for a better location and on January 21 wrote in his log, “We had the satisfaction to find the finest harbour in the world in which a thousand sail of-theline may ride in the most perfect security”.
A vision had been awoken. The bay was Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour. Five days later he moved the First Fleet and was to write, “I and my officers drank the health of His Majesty and success to the new colony”.
Success did not come easy, nothing worthwhile does. It took time, effort and enormous sacrifice. From raw colonies to established independent colonies, then a nation. What then are we? A First-World country with enormous resources not only in natural assets, such as mining, power, farming, but huge human potential and technology. Australia has one of the highest living standards. We should be further ahead with manufacturing industries which we have dismantled because of globalism.
The late Donald Horne dubbed us in his 1964 book, The Lucky Country. It’s funny, though, the harder one works, the luckier one gets.
Happy Australia Day.