Australia Day Linda Burney warns Greens push to change Australia Day 'more divisive than helpful' Labor MP accuses party of turning 26 January ‘into a political issue’ and calls for renewed focus on Uluru statement Linda Burney has criticised the Greens’ campaign to change the date of Australia Day, but said 26 January is ‘extremely painful’ to first Australians. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPThe Greens’ decision to make changing the date of Australia Day a top priority “could end up being more divisive than helpful”, Labor MP Linda Burney has warned. Burney said she had difficulty celebrating Australia Day, and while she attended official functions she noted they now included elements of official Aboriginal history and culture. The shadow human services minister said she was worried by “the jingoism that’s coming into Australia Day”. Ciobo said that Australia Day should not “be an excuse to mourn what has happened, that it should downplay or delegitimise … valid community expectations that Australia Day is a day for celebration”.

Source: The Guardian January 16, 2018 22:30 UTC