To many Australians, this date is a reminder of the beginning of a difficult time in our history. Celebrating Australia’s official national day on the anniversary of European colonisation can be seen as deeply disrespectful to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their cultural heritage. The first official protests against Australia Day celebrations occurred in 1938 with the National Day of Mourning. This event was heavily publicised and is seen by many historians as the beginning of the civil rights movement. Day of Mourning protests have been held ever since, with more recent events using the names Invasion Day or Survival Day. In recent years, there have been calls to change the date of Australia Day. People calling for this change are not against celebrating an Australian national day. Instead, they want to celebrate Australian culture and identity on a date that has a more positive meaning for all Australians. Before you begin Access the Inquiry rubric in the digital documents section of the Resources panel to guide you in completing this task at your level. At the end of the inquiry task, you can use this rubric to self-assess. Inquiry steps Your task is to choose a new date to host Australia’s national day. You need to create and communicate a presentation to your class which explains the rationale behind your choice. Use the following scaffold to help you investigate the issue further and to help you create your presentation. Step 1: Questioning and researching The basis of the issue has been provided for you, but now it’s up to you to find out more. Start by listing potential new dates and their significance to Australian history. Step 2: Analysis, evaluation and interpretation What are you looking for in a new date for Australia Day? What do you think would unite Australians behind your choice? Why is one potential new date better than another? Step 3: Civic participation and decision-making Having researched and analysed the issue, now comes the time to make your own decision. Which date provides the best reflection of Australian society? Step 4: Communicating Now it’s time to put it all together. Select a line of argument and stick to it. Be clear and concise with your reasoning. Make sure that you include evidence to support your decision.
TOPIC19 Citizenship, diversity and identity 579
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