OP-ED: The January 26 debate sparks different ways to make a statement

When various bandwagon-jumping radio stations reel off their Australia Day countdowns on Friday, one track that inevitably gets a spin will be Men At Work’s ‘Down Under’.

Who wouldn’t associate Australia Day with irresistible strine lines as “where women glow and men plunder” and “where beer does flow and men chunder”.

Unfortunately, the key line on the song is actually “You better run, you better take cover.”

“A lot of people think ‘Down Under’ is a certain kind of song,” Colin Hay, who co-wrote it, tells TMN.

“They’re wrong. It’s actually about the Ugly Australian, the Sir Les Patterson types.”

This week, Hay took to social media to give Spotify subscriber, conservative South Australian senator Cory Bernardi, a serve over his Australia Day playlist – for which the likes of Darren Hayes and Tim Rogers threatened legal action if they’re not taken off the list.

“It would appear that the true meaning behind Down Under is lost on Cory Bernardi,” Hay lamented on Facebook.

“When the lyrics were written some 40 years ago, I was worried about people like him, and movements he represents. Turns out I had a good reason to be.”

Bernadi wasn’t backing off – he told Melbourne talkback radio 3AW’s Sunday Morning program that the backlash from artists was “like a pylon of hate from a bunch of privileged prima donnas.”

He added: “I did this because I think Australian music is good.

“I think Australia Day is worth celebrating… and when triple j, the ABC, and the Greens Party, and others, all come out and want to politicise our national day and turn it into a day of mourning or hatred… I’m going the other way… we should be celebrating what makes this country great.”

The Bernadi episode also led a high profile artist manager to contact TMN to throw down the gauntlet – would any artist opposed to being on the playlist and who had played at Australia Day concerts in the past, donate their fees to Indigenous welfare groups?

“If they want to make a stand, they should go all the way!” he said.

From 1938, the Indigenous communities were calling for a name and date change, arguing there’s nothing to celebrate.

And while the debate has been picked up by the wider community for the same reason since then, the conversation – while still emotional – seems to have changed slightly in tone in 2018.

On the one hand there was the way A.B. Original’s ‘January 26’ resonated more as the duo grew massively in popularity,

There was also triple j’s high profile change of the date of the Hottest 100 Countdown, and the articulate reasons for it (one being that 60% of their listeners wanted it).

By last August a number of councils around the country had started talking about changing their Australia Day community and citizenship events to another non-divisive day. The number was standing at almost 20 this month.

Dan Sultan, who has long refused to perform on January 26 “for obvious reasons”, has also had a slight change of heart.

“With things feeling like they’re moving in a positive and the right direction in regards to our story being heard and acknowledged, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be performing a solo set at Balit Narrun Festival – Share the Spirit” he announced on social media.

The Songlines-created event, which includes Archie Roach and Philly, is being presented for free at Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens between 1-5pm. In the past the concert has drawn a crowd of 5,000.

Similarly, Koori Radio 93.7FM in Sydney is promoting the annual Yabun Festival onthe traditional lands of the Gadigal people. It’s idea is to showcase indigenous music and dance, and at the same time stir up debate with artists, authors, and thinkers in its SpeakOut Tent.

Others in the music industry have made their stance by not taking the day off but working quietly through.

For instance, Deathproof PR advised their PR, event management, social media accounts and design clients via social media that it was business as usual on the day.

Co-founder Emily Kelly told TMN, “Our initial Instagram post was meant as an FYI to our clients as well as a casual statement on our stance on the ’Changet The Date’ issue.

“I can see some people think we’re trying to generate publicity on the back of our viewpoint which is rubbish but I suppose is always an unwanted bi-product of the decision to talk about it.

“The more people openly discussing their decisions and practises surrounding Australia Day the more we evolve the dialogue.”

Kelly reckons a day Deathproof PR would take a holiday onis May 8, in line with thecurrent online campaign to get the day moved.

The initiative is collecting signatures for a petition to be handed to the National Australia Day Council, with organisers saying “May 8 has no precise significance … yet.

“Let’s make it the day where we come together as a nation – as mates – for no other reason than to celebrate our successes and display our desire to strive as one for the future.”

The petition has a target of 10,000. By last night 8,650 had signed on.

But if you need a reason to shift it to May, you might consider that the opening of the first Federal Parliament was May 9, 1901. Alternatively, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum – which was a milestone in the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights – is May 27.

Orif you like the idea and want to generate more heat about it, start your own petition. The debate is still wide open.