Australia Day – Why We Celebrate 26 January

Share this edition:

Every January it seems the country has to endure the hand-wringing and navel gazing of the self-appointed thought leaders demanding the country think of reasons to be ashamed of Australia.

Australia is now under assault from an alliance of intellectual and political leaders who have branded the settlement of Australia an invasion, and who have declared that 26 January should not be celebrated but be a day of mourning.

Not least because of the actions and ideas promulgated by the elites, Australians are more divided. The need then for a national day and to celebrate Australia – and to commemorate the values that bring Australians together – is more important than ever. This research essay explains why Australia has a history to be proud of, and that the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788 has always been, and will always be, a cause for celebration.

You can now Download Australia Day – Why We Celebrate 26 January here.

Morgan Begg

Morgan Begg is the Director, Research at the Institute of Public Affairs
Stay up to date

Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the IPA’s work

Support the IPA

If you liked what you read, consider supporting the IPA. We are entirely funded by individual supporters like you.

Related Posts

Mass migration drives Sydney locals to flee

“The unchecked, poorly regulated mass migration programme of the federal government has...

Daniel Wild on The Rita Panahi Show News24 – 7 September 2026

Rita Panahi: Joining me now is deputy executive director at The Institute...

Australia’s Future With Tony Abbott – Free speech under siege; Flatlining Productivity; Why Our Flag Matters

See below for show notes: In this episode recorded on 3 September...

The ‘Alborithm’ will crush freedom of speech online and damage democracy

“The Prime Minister wants to determine what all Australians can do, see,...