That site was unsuitable and the fleet sailed to Port Jackson. When I was at school the arrival of the First Fleet was only recognised as being the start of the colony of New South Wales.

Likewise, when I studied Australian history at tertiary level, the name Australia Day was not part of the lexicon.

I do recall schoolchildren taking part in marches to mark Empire Day and indeed, as late as 1958, the late Queen mother attended a conference in Canberra of the British Empire Service League. 

My point is that Australia Day is rather new in our colonial history. 

For my generation, the day that was referred to as our nation’s coming of age was Anzac Day and for many, despite that noble defeat in Turkey and the terrible toll of World War I, it has become and remains a most important day in our modern history and continues to be so. 

Australia Day as it is celebrated is just an excuse for another party and possibly yet another event providing an opportunity for crass commercialism. 

Given that the 26th of January is not the exact date that the First Fleet arrived, perhaps we should forget it altogether.

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I agree with our mayor Greg Conkey about not changing the date for Australia Day.

Fair enough, Australia Day might be more like Invasion Day to some, and what happened back in 1788 might be more like a tragedy than anything to celebrate.

Nothing can be done, however, to undo what has happened and changing the date for Australia Day is not the solution to the problem.

Australia Day does not need to change one bit. 

There has not been a country in the world that has not been taken by the sword. It was going to happen! 

The Aborigines, unfortunately, had the option of being invaded by the French, the Dutch, the British or the Japanese. They got the best of a bad lot. 

It happened. Deal with it. Move on.

Just because the Prime Minister says a day unites all Australians does not make it so.

January 26 means nothing to me and many other Australians. I have not participated in any activity on the day for years, particularly since the jingoistic Howard years. Keep a date on January 26 but call it what it is, First Fleet Day. People can acknowledge it all they like; just don't tell me I have to as it's the national day.

Then choose a day for all Australians, such as the first Friday in September and call that Australia Day. Another proper, consistent, long weekend might just unite us all.

So the government wishes to introduce another “sugar tax” on soft drinks and beer – just weeks after taxing the same containers for the 10 cent deposit scheme. If they are genuine they should ban the words “obese” and “overweight” and call it as it is.