Australia Day re-thought

Alison Normanton’s lengthy delineation of historic injustices to indigenous people in Australia misses completely the significance of British settlement.

Australia was always going to be settled by the advanced civilisations of Europe. We should just be thankful that it was the British who did.

Just imagine what this country would be like if it were one of the Islamic regimes or Russia or China or Japan that came instead.

The British bought with them a democratic political system of National, State and local governments, a legal and support structure, a spoken and written universal language that formed the basis of extensive education system, health and medical structures, freedom of religion, the ability to advocate and work for change and most importantly of all the rights and responsibilities that go with these ideas.

Because of this British settlement that we are able on “Australia Day” to sing…….

I am, you are, we are Australian.

Neville Drummond, Inverloch