125 years ago today the six colonies of the South Land (Australia) became a nation with their own constitution, peacefully voted for in all six colonies, and passed by an act of the British Parliament. This is something worth celebrating but it seems to have passed without a public mention.
I believe that Federation Day the first of January is the most appropriate day for us to both celebrate the good things of our nation and to reflect upon our shortcomings. It was on this day 125 years ago that the Australian Constitution came into effect. It happened not in a violent revolution but in a ceremony. Leading up to that ceremony, each of the six colonies had voted to join the new nation. The constitution they were voting for was written in a series of conventions by representatives from each colony. As a nation we were born of co-operation and negotiation not by violence or rebellion. Unlike the process of colonisation, no blood was shed.
We were the first nation to give women the right to be elected to parliament and the second to give all adult women the vote, (pipped to the post by New Zealand). Before Gallipoli, the fight for women voting, our world leading labour policies and other social achievements were what made our mark in the world and with universal suffrage deserve to be a greater part of the Australian “myth.” As the twentieth century unfolded we punched above our weight in international affairs including two world wars. Today we rank at least 15th in the size of our economy amongst 195 nations.
We can reflect with sadness on the truth that one of the drivers for Federation was the desire to have a white Australia policy and this was one of the first acts of the new Australian parliament. We can also reflect with sadness that Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people were specifically excluded from some aspects of the national life in the constitution which meant in effect they were treated very differently to other Australians. From the 1948 citizenship act onwards we began to fix some of the issues related to the first Australians. Some of the racial elements of the constitution remain but some were removed in 1967 by an overwhelming public vote. By the 21st century a measure of recognition of the first Australians and their tribes, clans and nations has been achieved through common law and legislated land rights which recognise ongoing cultures and connections to the land. Despite it being the policy of both major political parties starting with the Howard government we have not managed to get recognition of first peoples into the constitution. Moreover first peoples as a group have the worst health and social outcomes within the Australian community. We have some things to celebrate but much still to do.
1966 was a watershed year for migration as 1967 was for the first Australians. In that year the Holt government passed legislation to end discriminatory rules for migration. “Migrants to Australia were to be selected for their skills and ability to contribute to Australian society, rather than their race or national affiliation.” Following on from this the Whitlam government brought in a policy of multiculturalism rather than assimilation. I sometimes wonder if we could have been better served by a policy of interculturalism and avoided some of the cultural ‘siloing’ that can happen. I also celebrate the way that Greek, Itallian, multi-generational Chinese, South Asian and Vietnamese Australians have so wonderfully integrated into and changed Australian culture. We are so much the richer for these people. One of my favourites is Anh Do. He is undeniably ‘Aussie’ and undeniably Vietnamese. He’s brought so much to our nation’s cultural life. He is a living national treasure.
Australia has so much to celebrate and so much to reflect on and it all took shape, had it’s definitive beginning on January the 1st 1901, 125 years ago.
Australia Day marks the beginning of the New South Wales Colony. A cause for some to grieve and some to celebrate. ANZAC Day should remain what it is, our most sacred day, a commemoration of those who have served and those who have fallen in war and a sober reflection of what that means. Only Federation Day is truly a Day where all Australians can celebrate and also reflect on who we were, who we are and who we could become.
I finish where I began. I cannot believe that this day is passing without any significant acknowledgement!