By DPA,
Sydney : The aboriginal academic voted Australian of the Year for 2009 said after accepting the award Sunday that it was offensive to indigenous people that the nation’s most important public holiday marked the start of white colonisation in 1788.
“To most indigenous Australians, it (Australia Day) really reflects the day on which our world came crashing down,” Mick Dodson, a professor, said after being conferred the honour by the prime minister. “Many of our people call it invasion day.”
Australia Day, a public holiday, is Jan 26.
“We have to have a date that’s more inclusive than Jan 26, which is the date that’s chosen as the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove,” Dodson said.