For many years I have proudly performed at local Australia Day events however this year I will not be participating. I have decided to withdraw out of respect for the descendants of our First Nations people.

Frankly I am tired of waiting for our government, at all levels, to really listen to the voices of Indigenous Australians. And I am deeply disappointed with the current federal government’s response to a wide range of Indigenous issues, but particularly the way in which they very unsympathetically rejected the Uluru Statement From The Heart, and have not indicated any real interest in the proposed Makarrata Commission to create a treaty. I want to stand with Indigenous Australians in their call for real recognition. 

Last year I attended the funeral of my sister-in-law who was heartwarmingly described by her daughter as a proud First Nations woman. I believe that her family, who are part of my family, deserve to be treated with much more respect by non-Indigenous Australians. It is not just enough to give Indigenous Australians the vote and say “sorry” for the wrongs done to the Stolen Generation. It is so much more.

Our country needs to acknowledge its chequered history, and show deeper respect to those Indigenous Australians who are still offended by January 26, the day that heralded the genocide of Indigenous Australians. 

My ancestors were early settlers in Tasmania and Victoria in the 1820s and might have contributed to that genocide.

I may never know how they treated the First Australians, but they most certainly contributed to their displacement. Whatever they did I cannot change because it is now history, but I am not proud of the mistreatment of the First Australians. 

I believe that I and my country can do much better for our First Nations people in the 21st century.

There is so much more we can do to build true reconciliation and one small but significant way is by listening to Indigenous voices and making a positive change to the date of Australia Day. Let’s create a new Australia Day that unites all Australians; and while we’re at it let’s create a treaty and true recognition of our Indigenous history.

Today as I was walking along the paths at the magnificent Noreuil Park, beside the mighty Murray River, I was reading the relatively new signs put up by the Albury City Council describing some of the history of this great city we are proud to live in (good job ACC).

There is one sign that is located not far from the pool, describing the “Wharf and Crane 1871” and its history when Albury was a river port.

It discusses the crane installation and how “The river trade, however, was doomed. The railway from Melbourne reached Wodonga in 1873, offering a direct and faster transport option”. Perhaps we are on the wrong tram (sorry).

Given the ongoing debacle it may make more sense to use the river to Echuca then train to Melbourne, admitting that we have regressed in 145 years of rail improvements to Wodonga and that it may be more reliable.