A war of words has broken out after Liberal MP Beverley McArthur suggested Australia Day, the anniversary of British colonisation, should be a day of thanks.The Upper House MP and Member for Western Victoria on Wednesday slammed the City of Greater Geelong after it voted to discontinue the use of the name ‘Australia Day’ and replace it with ‘January 26th’.
“There is one word that is rarely heard in this discussion, and it is a simple word: thank you,” Ms McArthur said in a media release.
“Maybe that word should be heard loudly on Australia Day – a day to give thanks for everything that makes us one of the best nations in the world – not a perfect nation – but an extraordinary one.”
Her comments drew a furious response from Labor Member for Geelong Christine Couzens, who said views such as Ms McArthur’s belong “in the Dark Ages”.
“I think that’s outrageous,” Ms Couzens told Geelong Broadcasters News.
“First Nations peoples had their land stripped away from them, they had their children taken from them, they had their language taken from them,” Ms Couzens said.
“To even consider that that is a good thing is just blatantly wrong.
“People like Bev McArthur belong in the Dark Ages, and she should stay there.”
Image: L – Labor MP Christine Couzens (supplied); R – Libersal MP Beverley McArthur (supplied)