Let’s Recognise Australian Heroes Instead

As much of the country celebrates a well-earned long weekend, most Australians would be bemused to know that the public holiday marks the birthday of the head of our Australia, the British Monarch Queen Elizabeth. It is the second of five days in 2020 set aside to mark the Queen’s Birthday: her actual birthday on 21 April, 15 June on Norfolk Island, 28 September in Western Australia, 5 October in Queensland and 8 June in the remainder of the nation.

An Essential Media poll in May 2018 found that just one third of Australians knew the British Queen was Australia’s head of state (see Appendix A). Given the increasing irrelevance of the British Monarchy to modern Australia, the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is calling for the public holiday to instead acknowledge Australia’s frontline heroes who make a meaningful difference to the lives of Australians every day.

Sandy Biar5 June 2020Sandy Biar, Queen's Birthday, Queen Elizabeth

Let’s have a public holiday of our own

Australia should replace royal birthdays with a public holiday of our own.

In 2019, Australian governments should join together with a new ‘Citizens Day’ holiday in

September to strengthen Australian citizenship. This could build on existing activities for the

anniversary of the Australian Citizenship Act in September 1948.

Alita Brydon24 September 2018Michael Cooney, Queen's Birthday