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Victorian youth mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry has been named Australian of the Year in 2010.

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Happy Australia Day! (Does anyone here know what we're actually celebrating?)

Guan

Good point Guan

My girlfriend, who is as nuts about Australia as I am, went into school today(she works there! so no jokes please!) and wished everyone Happy Australia Day, much to their bemusement. When asked though what aussies were celebrating she had to admit she wasn't really sure. I thought it was a day where you all celebrated just being Australian, your culture and all the good thingd about being Australian and living where you do? Would appreciate the correct explanation from the horse mouth though then she can go back and tell them.

Hope you had a good one

Paul

Hi Paul,

Australia Day is the celebration of the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on the 26th of January in 1788. The day Australia was 'born' in other words, with the British proclaiming sovereignty over what was and still is Aboriginal land but in those silly old days the idea of "Terra Nullius" or "no man's land" reigned supreme.

There's been a lot of controversy over Australia Day. Indigenous Australians call it "Invasion Day".

I think it is just a reason to have a public holiday myself.

Guan

and an excuse for all the jingoistic yobbos to emerge. Cars with giant flags, yobs with flag tattoos and stickers and loads of really distasteful clothes made from the flag and I doubt any of them actually know much about "their" country. I was ashamed - it's India's National Day as well - 50 years of independance from the Brits and of being a Republic - they're miles ahead of us.....

Didn't India gain independance from us Brits in 1948? When is OZ gong to do the same do you reckon?

Paul

consensus seems to be that it won't happen while the Queen is still alive - we need generational change from both ends...

The Queen, bless her, needs to wind her neck in.