Invasian day ?

Recently we celebrated " Australia Day ", that event in 1788 when the first fleet arrived and set the foundations for modern Australia.

Some Aboriginal people find little to celebrate. To them, 1788 was " Invasian day ", when the Europeans rowed ashore, planted a flag on the beach and simply annexed their home and reduced them to second class citizens.

They certainly have a point. For at least a century and a half they were not counted in the census, were not allowed to vote, were forbidden alcohol - and received none of the social services awarded to white Australians.

We have only recently apologised, but it is useless to judge the conduct of our ancestors two hundred years ago by the standards of today.

In 1788 a starving woman could be transported for stealing a loaf of bread to feed her children. Slavery was common in many parts of the world. Minor infringements were punished with vicious floggings.

The countries of Europe considered they had a right to dominate other world countries, hence the invasion of Australia was not a matter of " if " but of " when ".

It could have been the Dutch. They had conquered Indonesia and their explorers had sailed our waters without establishing a settlement. It certainly would have been the French, except that their ships were wrecked by a cyclone and they never returned to a France distracted by revolution - and so it was the British who added this great continent to their empire.

The Aboriginal people would be wise to look forward rather than look backward. This land has progressed - and is one of the choice targets for refugees from other parts of the world.

The past can not be undone, but any person living in Australia has the prospect of a good life if they engage with the social and business opportunities available to all.

Aborigines were the first Australians. Today they can proudly hold up their heads - and be counted as first amongst equals !