By the indigenous First Nations communities, however, the holiday is referred to as “Invasion Day” or “Survival Day” to mark the beginning of British colonization and the oppression, massacres and dispossession that followed.

Some argue Australia Day is an opportunity to reflect on and rejoice in what Australia has become today in spite of that history, while others insist it is a day of mourning and that its celebration is offensive and hurtful.

For years, some Australians have spent the day off by hosting barbecues to enjoy the summer weather, as thousands of immigrants become Australian citizens at induction ceremonies held across the country.

Sixty-five-year-old Australian expat Paul Halliday continues to celebrate Australia Day despite having lived in Jakarta for 32 years.

“Australia Day means a lot to me. We should be very proud of what Australia has accomplished over its short history. We have to remember the sacrifices that have been made to make Australia a great country,” Halliday told The Jakarta Post.

He plans to keep the tradition going.

“In years gone by, we would celebrate Australia Day with a game of Australian rules [football] and a barbeque to show our true spirit. Unfortunately, this year we will only be having an Aussie barbeque and some drinks with friends,” he said on Thursday.

But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their non-indigenous allies, Jan. 26 is a day to mourn and fight, with thousands attending protests and rallies or choosing to spend the day working.

Aaron Meadows, 50, has changed his perspective on the day’s meaning during his many years abroad.

“I have been away from Australia for 20 years now. It's been a long time since I voted. To me the day is not representative of all parts of Australia. We are not the white, Anglo-Celtic country we used to be. We are an increasingly diverse country, and personally, the fact the day does not sit well particularly with indigenous Australians I find concerning,” said the Jakarta-based security contractor.

“Certainly, living abroad has changed my perspective on the day. Once upon a time, like a lot of Australians, it was an excuse for a barbeque, a piss-up and a game of cricket. I think by living here, I am more aware and attuned to the way indigenous cultures particularly regard colonial past settlements,” he added.

Federal support

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wished residents a happy Australia Day in a video message shared on social media on Thursday morning.

In it, he expressed admiration for the Australian values of belief in opportunity for all, respect for hard work and optimism, which he said drove aspiration and the instinct for fairness, decency, care and respect.

Albanese used his address to promote his government’s Voice to Parliament program, a formal way for indigenous Australians to be heard by governments on matters that affect their daily lives.

“And later this year, every Australian will have the historic opportunity to put these values to work by answering the gracious patient call of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and voting to recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our nation’s birth certificate: the constitution,” he said.

The Uluru Statement, developed by First Nations peoples, calls for legal and structural reforms to reshape the relationship between indigenous communities and the general Australian population. Although the statement was rejected by Liberal former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Labor’s Albanese has since promised to deliver a referendum.

Acknowledging the public holiday as a day of mourning for many, Albanese also supported employees who chose to work on Australia Day in exchange for a day off on another date.

Some major companies have begun explicitly offering workers this option, including Woolworths, Telstra, Network Ten, Paramount and Wesfarmers.

Mutual respect

As the years go by, Australia has become more divided over the day, with many calling for change.

Meadows is one of many who would like to see change.

“I would definitely like to see a change around the relationship we have as Australians with First Nations peoples. I really admire the way New Zealand incorporates indigenous culture into their national identity,” he said.

“I would really like to see this not only just one day a year, but taking the concept of aboriginality and better incorporating that into Australia. In saying that, it is interesting that, over time, Australians often lecture countries like Indonesia on their behavior with events like [Indonesia’s past occupation of Timor-Leste], and it’s become apparent it is rather hypocritical to say that as an Australian, given our colonial past,” he said.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in “Invasion Day” rallies across Australia on Thursday in protests to change the date or have the national holiday abolished. Hundreds of signs called for people to acknowledge the nation’s hurtful past.

Despite the protests, a poll commissioned by the Australian Institute of Public Affairs found that 62 percent of Australians still believe the holiday should be celebrated on Jan. 26.

Halliday, who is the general manager for a business catering to oil, gas and mining, feels it is unfortunate that people no longer want to celebrate a day about a “great nation”.

“l find it quite sad that there are people that try to divide and not bring all Australians together on one day to celebrate what we have achieved as a country,” he told the Post.

Although it seems the majority of Australians still celebrate the holiday, the public opinion poll results are down from 75 percent support in 2019 and 69 percent in 2021.

Support for the current incarnation of the holiday is particularly low among young people, with only 42 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds agreeing that Australia Day should be celebrated on Jan. 26. Another 30 percent disagreed, while 28 percent had no opinion.

— The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post under the ACICIS placement program.