Kangaroos and First Nation Peoples Flags

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Altering the flag and adjusting Australia day has nothing to do with altering or removing history, the history will still remain and be taught. The point is to no longer glorify or celebrate something that was a significantly bad event for the original inhabitants. If Australia day was more like solemn ANZAC day you would not have the same issues, as you could swing it to more reflect on how Australia came to be and those that have sacrificed along the way, but these days it's really giant piss-up party for all. The removal of the "jack", is part of Australia maturing as a nation and proving it is no longer a vassal of the old empire, the same as removing the Queens face from all our currency, maybe make important Australians on one side and unique fauna on the reverse. The aboriginal flag will never be the national flag of Australia, that is not the debate here, it is a flag that represents the Aboriginal people and their history, not all Australians. As far as Australia day is concerned, it's now broken, a new day is most likely going to have to be made just to make it a worthwhile day without drama and separatist notions.

When John Batman chose the site for what is now Melbourne he initially entered into a contract with the Wurundjeri Elders for the sale of the land in exchange for cattle and so forth. This was signed at a ceremony which is subject to controversy as to whether it was real, staged or a forgery, however William Barak claimed to have attended the ceremony as a child saying that NSW aborigines had helped with communication and traditions. The main issue is that the Wurundjeri probably thought of the treaty as a temporary, lease type arrangement which they commonly entered into with other tribes in the area. This was one of the only recorded treaty that a colonist sought with the locals, and this treaty was declared void by the governor as negotiation with the indigenous was illegal as the 'crown' did not regard them as landowners to negotiate with, to maintain terra nulius.

Proclamation

By His Excellency Major-General Sir Richard Bourke, K.C.B., commanding His Majesty's Forces, Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Territory of New South Wales and its Dependencies, and Vice Admiral of the same,

Whereas, it has been represented to me, that divers of His Majesty's Subjects have taken possession of vacant lands of the Crown, within the limits of this Colony, under the pretence of a treaty, bargain, or contract, for the purchase thereof, with the Aboriginal Natives; Now therefore, I, the Governor, in virtue and in exercise of the power and authority in me vested do hereby proclaim and notify to all His Majesty's Subjects, and others whom it may concern, that every such treaty, bargain, and contract with the Aboriginal Natives, as aforesaid, for the possesssion, title, or claim to any lands lying and being within the limits of the Government of the Colony of New South Wales, as the same are laid down and defined by His Majesty's Commission; that is to say extending from the Northern Cape, or extremity of the Coast called Cape York, in the latitude of ten degrees thirty seven minutes South, to the southern extremity of the said territory of New South Wales, or Wilson's Promontory, in the latitude of thirty nine degrees twelve minutes South, and embracing all the country inland to the westward, as far as the one hundred and twenty ninth degree of east longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich, including all the islands adjacent, in the Pacific Ocean within the latitude aforesaid, and including also Norfolk Island, is void and of no effect against the rights of the Crown; and that all persons who shall be found in possession of any such Lands as aforesaid, without the license or authority of His Majesty's Government, for such purpose first had and obtained, will be considered as trespassers, and liable to be dealt with in like manner as other intruders upon the vacant lands of the Crown within the said Colony.

Given under my Hand and Seal, at Government House, Sydney, this twenty sixth Day of August, one thousand eight hundred and thirty five.

(signed) Richard Bourke

By His Excellency's Command,

(signed) Alexander McLeay

God save the King!

So Australian Aboriginals were given no rights, even though they occupied the land and were not allowed to deal in any way with colonists, which as it sounds they were willing to do in some circumstances, including the land around Melbourne. Obviously a great many saw no other way around this other than to attack colonists and cause trouble. Which the colonies came down hard on and massacred many.