What does January 26 mean to Indigenous Australians?

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Invasion Day Rally, Brisbane 2024. Credit: AAP / JONO SEARLE

In Australia, January 26 is the national day, but the date is contentious. Many migrants who are new to Australia want to celebrate their new home, but it’s important to understand the full story behind the day.


Key Points
  • Australia Day marks the day the British raised the Union Jack flag in Sydney Cove in 1788, which was the start of colonisation.
  • January 26 marks the beginning of British colonisation, a painful part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history.
  • Polls show a majority of Australians want Australia Day to remain on January 26.
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