{"id":166837,"date":"2025-01-14T13:05:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T03:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=166837"},"modified":"2025-03-04T19:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T09:04:08","slug":"high-commissioner-to-the-uks-australia-day-decision-sparks-major-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=166837","title":{"rendered":"High Commissioner to the UK\u2019s Australia Day decision sparks major question"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The decision this week of a high-ranking official to skip an Australia Day gala dinner in London has highlighted the steady move away from people celebrating our national holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, initially intended to skip the black-tie event on January 25, which is held annually by the Australia Day Foundation to celebrate the relationship between our two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move was swiftly deemed \u201cdisappointing\u201d by both organisers and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who put Mr Smith on blast for being \u201cashamed\u201d of the national holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Prime Minister owns this, as the UK High Commissioner was his captain\u2019s pick,\u201d Mr Dutton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd the PM should pick up the phone and sort this out today. What other developed country refuses to acknowledge its national day? If Stephen Smith is ashamed of Australia Day, he should be on the next flight home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes as a new poll from the Institute of Public Affairs<\/a> reveals that the majority of Australians polled in each age group now believe that the national day should remain on January 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to The Daily Telegraph<\/a><\/em>, Mr Smith will now attend the event at the Peninsula Hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For an growing number of Australians, however, the attitude of a high-ranking official or celebrity toward January 26 has far less sway \u2013 with many turning away from commemorating it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Australian High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. Picture: Euan Cherry\/Parsons Media<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Mr Smith of being \u2018ashamed\u2019 of our national day. Picture: NewsWire\/John Gass<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Aussies are shunning First Fleet re-enactments and raucous parties, instead turning out in their thousands for local Invasion Day rallies or using the public holiday as an opportunity to reckon with Australia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even for those who do choose to embrace the occasion \u2013 proudly decking themselves out in flags and other regalia and heading to sporting events, BBQs and the beach \u2013 the date is seen as a chance to come together and celebrate modern Australia and the many cultures it\u2019s comprised of, rather than the events of 1788.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A high-ranking Australian\u2019s decision to skip a gala dinner commemorating the national day has highlighted increased debate over its relevance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":166840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[273,999,35,85],"tags":[997,15014],"class_list":["post-166837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","category-australia-politics","category-breaking-news","category-uk","tag-australia-day","tag-stephen-smith"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t