'Un-Australian' and 'gutless': Cricket Australia chooses silence on Australia Day

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• By Avi Yemini

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Cricket Australia has chosen not to mention the term 'Australia Day' during the Gabba test on Friday, which coincides with the Australia Day public holiday.

The decision to schedule the test over the Australia Day weekend sparked initial controversy, with women's all-rounder Ash Gardner expressing that the day brings about 'hurt and mourning.'

According to media reports, the phrase 'Australia Day' will not find a place in the event, and the acknowledgment will be limited to a passing mention by the ground announcer.

Cricket Australia intends to recognise that the day holds 'diverse meanings for different individuals.' The organisation talked up commitment to 'inclusivity,' with a standard Welcome to Country ceremony scheduled for day one of the test, occurring just before Australia Day.

Cricket Australia consulted its Indigenous advisory board (NATSICAC) both in deciding the test scheduling and planning the commemoration of January 26.

This move comes amid the ongoing debate surrounding Australia Day, a day that marks the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 but is celebrated by Australians of all walks of life as day of celebration.

In recent years, a campaign by activists have sought to change the view of Australia Day, rebranding it as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning' for First Nations people.

The wider discourse on Australia Day has seen controversies ranging from councils avoiding citizenship ceremonies on January 26 to corporate decisions, such as Woolworths Group's recent announcement to refrain from stocking Australia Day merchandise, citing a 'gradual decline in demand.'

A new poll however by the Institute of Public Affairs suggests that less than one in five Australians advocate for changing the date of Australia Day.