Today marks Australia Day and as Australians commemorate the day, Australians here are also observing the day.
Here is what the Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands said about the day during a brief interview with Joel Lamani yesterday.
What is Australia day about?
Australia day is on the 26th January. It’s a date which commemorates the arrival of the first fleet in Australia. In a sense it’s the first day of modern Australia.
And it’s the date that has been chosen to celebrate what’s great about Australia in every way. It’s a day for acknowledging the first Australians, it’s a day for acknowledging the achievement of our forefathers, and also a day for setting our sights on what can be achieved by Australia in the future - To be thankful for what we have, to not take anything for granted and to strive harder for a better and brighter Australia into the future.
What does Australia Day mean to you?
I tend to spend a lot of my Australia day overseas in my line of work, in one sense the further you are on Australia day, the more powerful the day becomes because it really is an occasion to stop and reflect on what is that is great about Australia, what it is that works in Australia, what it is about Australia that you miss. So for me Australia Day is a day to be thankful for being raised in a country where I was given every opportunity.
It’s a day to stop, pause and be thankful. To be thankful that we were born in Australia or that we chose to migrate to Australia and make contribution to Australia. That is what Australia day is for me.
What do you want to say to Australians here in the Solomon Islands?
I thank Australians for the contribution to Australia’s reputation here.
I have been here for seven months now and struck by the depth and the breadth of goodwill towards Australia and Australians. I know that’s not my hard work but that of Australians who were here long before me in the Solomons, who engaged in business, volunteering in hospitals, teachers, captain of industry and everything. They work hard, they play hard, but they have chosen to come to the Solomon Islands, they’ve chosen to make a difference, so to them I say thank you.
But off course there’s another side of that story and they can only make a valuable contribution to the SI if they are made to feel welcome, and I must thank the host, the government and people of Solomon Islands for making us feel so welcomed. For giving us a home away from home.
Happy Australia day.
By
EDNAL PALMER
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