Doug PollardAustralia Day: Time to Reflect
So another Australia Day is here and yet again it is time to reflect on the good and the bad that is Australia in the last year.
There is no doubt that Australia has changed a lot in the last year, we are definitely confused about what sort of identity Australia should portray to the world (That was brought to light by the Cronulla Riots and the revenge attacks after it) a couple of years ago, Itherefore people are more protective of the Australian flag eg: Look at the campaign Channel 7's Today Tonight is running...it'll be on their Australia day edition tonight.
In this past year, Australians also have had concerns about people coming here and bringing their problems with them, eg: the problems between the Serbians and the Croatins at the Australian Open Tennis. I note that the New South Wales Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam has made a toned down speech warning the new immigrants that Australians wouldn't tolerate any behaviour brought from their home countries, it was going to a policy speech but Sutherland Shire council and the Federal Givernment told him it was not appropraite according to the Department of Immigration guidelines as to how a citizenship ceremony should go. (While I agree with Debnam's sentiments, I don't think they were the most appropriate on Australia Day).
Also the deaths of Steve Irwin and Peter Brock, two fantastic Australians have also ha an effect and Steve Irwin's death still effects so many today.
Sport and Music have also dominated Australia's psyche and will continue to in the near future with much of Australia's current crop of musicians having success overseas and the Socceroos World Cup campaign gaining attention by many people around Australia even bringing the country together in support for the Socceroos.
So what comes to your mind when you reflect on the last 12 months
There is no doubt that Australia has changed a lot in the last year, we are definitely confused about what sort of identity Australia should portray to the world (That was brought to light by the Cronulla Riots and the revenge attacks after it) a couple of years ago, Itherefore people are more protective of the Australian flag eg: Look at the campaign Channel 7's Today Tonight is running...it'll be on their Australia day edition tonight.
In this past year, Australians also have had concerns about people coming here and bringing their problems with them, eg: the problems between the Serbians and the Croatins at the Australian Open Tennis. I note that the New South Wales Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam has made a toned down speech warning the new immigrants that Australians wouldn't tolerate any behaviour brought from their home countries, it was going to a policy speech but Sutherland Shire council and the Federal Givernment told him it was not appropraite according to the Department of Immigration guidelines as to how a citizenship ceremony should go. (While I agree with Debnam's sentiments, I don't think they were the most appropriate on Australia Day).
Also the deaths of Steve Irwin and Peter Brock, two fantastic Australians have also ha an effect and Steve Irwin's death still effects so many today.
Sport and Music have also dominated Australia's psyche and will continue to in the near future with much of Australia's current crop of musicians having success overseas and the Socceroos World Cup campaign gaining attention by many people around Australia even bringing the country together in support for the Socceroos.
