PM ScoMo Calls Changes to Aus Day Date "Indulgent" and "Self-Loathing"

PM Scott Morrison has offered his two cents on the Australia Day debate.

It might only be September but discussions regarding the date of next year's Australia Day have already begun to appear. 

This time it was Prime Minister Scott Morrison who decried last week's decision by Byron Shire Council to change the date of their festivities in 2019.

Morrison called changes to the celebration's date "indulgent" and "self-loathing" and maintained that the "modern Aus nation" began on that date.

There were a lot of disappointed voices on Twitter calling out ScoMo's hypocrisy on the issue.

> being honest about the past
> ignoring the pain and suffering of aboriginal ppl since January 26 1788 https://t.co/9kLLKMBF41

— fully automated gay space instrumentality✝️ 🏳️‍🌈 (@circlefright) September 24, 2018

Yes Scott, lets just as a nation ignore the brutal past, cover it up, not address it, educate the nation about it and move on. That’s easier isn’t it. 🙄

— nic (@nicshields) September 23, 2018

Byron Shire Council's mayor, Simon Richardson, explained that the 26 January date caused grief for many people and that moving the celebrations was a rational and mature approach.

"I believe that as a nation we have a huge amount to celebrate, and a lot to be thankful for, however, I also believe that the date, 26 January, does not reflect the importance of the first Australians and their history," Mayor Richardson said.

"In fact, celebrating the arrival of Europeans causes grief for many people so I think to move the date for our Australia Day ceremony to the night before is a reasonable compromise.

"By acknowledging the debate around Australia Day, Byron Shire Council has adopted a rational and mature approach to this issue."

Earlier this year, there was a concerted effort to change the date with Triple J moving their Hottest 100 countdown and multiple councils shifting their Australia Day celebrations to other dates.

The PM at the time, Malcolm Turnbull, also took issue with these decisions, stating that "an attack on Australia Day is a repudiation of the values the day celebrates: freedom, a fair go, mateship and diversity."

With 2019's Australia Day fast approaching, this won't be the last you'll hear of the debate.

Read more:

Here Are Five Myths About Australia Day (and the Reason Some Aussies Want to #ChangetheDate)

'Republic and Treaty First': Why Some Think We Should Get Rid of Australia Day Altogether

Change the Date? 60 Per Cent of Students Want to Keep Aus Day on 26 Jan

Header Image: iStock.com/davidf