Simple solution to solve Australia Day controversy
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By Jonathan King
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The heat could easily be taken out of the increasingly controversial Australia Day celebrations if we changed the date from the Sydney-centric January 26 to May 9 â when, in 1901, Australiaâs first parliament was opened in Melbourneâs Exhibition Building, bringing the political nation of Australia into being.
That could be an alternative and more historically accurate Australia Day and a better option than the date now celebrated. Authorities have changed the date many times, and January 26 only became more nationally accepted in the lead-up to Australiaâs 1988 bicentennial celebrations.