Why Peter Dutton thinks it’s time for Australia’s High Commissioner to London Stephen Smith to be looking for a new job: ‘Ashamed’
Peter Dutton has called on Australia's most senior British diplomat to apologise, saying he was “ashamed” after moving an Australia Day black-tie gala event to January 26.
High Commissioner to Britain Stephen Smith has opted to scrap the date for an annual Australia Day fundraiser, citing “sensitivities” surrounding the date, which has been the subject of controversy in recent years.
A spokesman for Mr Smith later said the choice was made in relation to proposing an alternative evening for the high-profile event.
In a televised address broadcast on Tuesday, the opposition leader called the decision to move the date “crazy” and “completely unacceptable” and called on Smith to publicly withdraw his decision.
“How can we have a High Commissioner who is ashamed of Australia Day? Australia Day is a celebration of our history and heritage,” Mr Dutton said.
“I think the vast majority of Australians will celebrate Australia Day and I think the High Commissioner in London, if he is unwilling to celebrate Australia Day, if he is ashamed of Australia Day, frankly I think he is looking has to go to a new job. .'
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called the decision to move the date “crazy” and “completely unacceptable” and called on Mr Smith to publicly withdraw his decision.
Kylie Minogue attends the Australia Day gala dinner at Australia House in London on January 24, 2015, the event now axed from the national holiday by High Commissioner Stephen Smith
The date January 26, which marks the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, is considered a day of mourning for indigenous communities, with some campaigners calling it Invasion Day or Survival Day.
A survey of more than 2,000 people conducted by YouGov in 2022 found that 56 percent of people were in favor of keeping the date of Australia Day as it is. However, almost half of young people under 35 were in favor of a changed date.
Following the backlash, Opposition spokesperson Jacinta Price told 2GB earlier on Tuesday that Mr Smith's decision to move the event date was “un-Australian”.
'I think it's a shame to end Australia Day celebrations. I think we need to get back to being proud of what it means to be Australian,” she said.
Indigenous opposition spokesperson Jacinta Price told 2GB earlier on Tuesday that Mr Smith's decision to move the date of the event was “un-Australian”.
The coalition's calls against shifting the date came amid a burgeoning discussion from leaders about how the country should continue its efforts to achieve indigenous reconciliation in the wake of the defeated Voice referendum.
Voice architect and prominent pro-Voice campaigner Professor Megan Davis spoke out publicly for the first time after the October 14 loss to reporters at the Australian Financial Statement that the grassroots movement for indigenous rights would continue its advocacy despite the fact that grieving communities believed the opportunity for reconciliation was “dead.”
Former Business Secretary Ken Wyatt also spoke out earlier this week Sydney Morning Herald who said that despite the rejection of a constitutional vote, the prospect of closing the country's divide must be tackled in a “pragmatic” way.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney's 2024 priorities would focus on issues identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including health, education, jobs, housing and justice
The government is yet to confirm how it plans to pursue other parts of the Uluru Declaration, including Treaty and Truth. It has already allocated $5.8 million to “begin the establishment of an independent Makarrata Commission to oversee deal-making and truth-telling processes.”
A spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said the minister's priorities in 2024 would focus on issues identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including health, education, jobs, housing and justice.
This includes new funding for justice reinvestment to reduce incarceration, investment in basic services in remote areas, and the replacement of the 'failed' remote employment and community development services program.