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Channel 10 star says Australia’s children ‘don’t want to celebrate’ on January 26 after his network BOYCOTTED the public holiday
Famed Australian journalist Jessica Rowe has said it is “really” time to change the date of Australia Day, saying even her children don’t want to celebrate the holiday.
Rowe appeared on his former Studio 10 morning show on Thursday to declare that he is “regretting” Australia’s past and supports the campaign to move Australia Day to a date other than January 26.
“I am very sorry for what happened, I think we should ask for forgiveness to move on,” he said.
“Today is not a date to celebrate at all and we have to change that date, well the time has really come.”
Former Studio 10 presenter Jessica Rowe (pictured with her daughters) said her family no longer celebrates Australia Day and supports the campaign to change the date of the holiday.
Rowe, who is married to Nine Sydney newscaster Peter Overton, said her two teenage daughters no longer celebrate the holiday due to the complicated history of the date.
“Let’s go for a date that really celebrates who we are as a nation… this is what I’m hopeful for, (and) my daughters are very passionate about,” she said.
“I think kids that age know a lot more and they don’t celebrate today, they don’t want to celebrate today.”
Studio 10 co-host Narelda Jacobs, a woman from Whadjuk Noongar, shared her thoughts on Australia Day saying: “A lot of people associate patriotism with January 26 because it’s the day we’re told to celebrate who we are. as a country”. .
“It’s just the date, we’re not saying don’t be a proud Australian and don’t be patriotic, but don’t do it today because there’s a lot of pain that goes with it.”
“This date is not the date to celebrate because it was when the trauma began.”
Australia Day has been embroiled in controversy for several years with Australians divided on whether January 26 marks the beginning of modern Australia or the beginning of indigenous oppression.
26 January 1788 was the day the First Fleet landed in Sydney Harbour, having abandoned plans to settle Botany Bay to the south days earlier, and Governor Arthur Phillip raised the British flag to mark the foundation of New South Wales.
Activists have long called for the date of the holiday to be changed, but an alternative day has not been agreed.
Network 10 has given all of its employees the option to work on Australia Day and take another day off instead of the public holiday.
US company Paramount, which owns Network 10, chief content officer Beverley McGarvey and co-director Jarrod Villani only referred to Australia Day as ‘January 26’ in an email sent to all programming and editorial staff.
“At Paramount ANZ, our goal is to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,” the couple wrote in the email, first published by The Australian Media Journal column.
‘For our First Nations people, we as an organization recognize that January 26 is not a day of celebration.
“We recognize that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition that that date is Australia Day.
“We recognize that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the company, and we are responsive to employees who may not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday.”