In a significant move ahead of Australia Day, several clubs and pubs across the country have announced bans on festivities, including popular venues.

The decision has sparked mixed reactions, with many questioning the implications for traditional celebrations, while others support the push for more inclusive events.

As Australia Day approaches, the conversation surrounding how the occasion is observed continues to gain momentum.

Australia Day, a national holiday marked on January 26th, has long been a day of celebration for many Australians.

It commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in New South Wales in 1788 and the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.

However, this date also represents a time of mourning for Indigenous Australians, who see it as ‘Invasion Day’—a day that signifies the beginning of the dispossession and subsequent oppression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Australian Venue Co, owning over 200 venues, will not celebrate Australia Day due to the sadness and hurt it causes for some patrons and staff. Credit: Facebook / Australia Day

In a move that reflects the growing debate around the significance of Australia Day, Australian Venue Co, the country's second-largest hospitality group, has decided to forgo celebrations across its venues nationwide.

It operates over 200 venues across Australia, including around 90 in Queensland and 60 in Victoria.

The company stated that January 26 brings ‘sadness’ and ‘hurt’ to many of its patrons and staff.

This includes venues such as Bungalow8, Cargo, Kingsley's Woolloomooloo, and Parkside Hotel in Sydney, as well as the Esplanade Hotel, Prince of Wales, Duke of Wellington, and Garden State Hotel in Melbourne.

In addition, the Claremont Hotel and Bassendean Hotels in Perth, the Regatta Hotel, Boundary Hotel, and Fridays bar in Brisbane, along with the Parkside Hotel and Colonist in Adelaide, will also not be hosting celebrations.

‘Australia Day is a day that causes sadness for some members of our community, so we have decided not to specifically celebrate a day that causes hurt for some of our patrons and our team,’ an Australia Venues Co spokesperson stated.

Indigenous activist Warren Mundine offered some bold advice for those planning to celebrate on January 26.

‘Don't bother about having a drink in their venues, p*** these b******* off,’ he said after learning of the boycott.

Mr Mundine, who spearheaded the successful campaign against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament last year, claimed that the true reason ‘woke companies’ refuse to celebrate Australia Day is because ‘they just hate the country’.

‘They hate Australians, they hate Australia, and that's why they do these things,’ he remarked.

Mr Mundine encouraged Australians to celebrate by heading to the beach, throwing some lamb and sausages on the barbecue, or ordering takeaway from a venue ‘that actually cares about this country—not a hater of Australians—and we'll have a great time’.

Wurundjeri elder Ian Hunter added, ‘It is condescending. They think we are doing the best thing for Indigenous peoples.’

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett called the decision ‘extraordinary’ and ‘divisive’.

‘They are totally out of touch with the community,’ he stated.

‘If no one wants to participate in Australia Day celebrations at one of their venues, that would be fine.’

Earlier this year, Woolworths and ALDI chose not to sell Australia Day merchandise, resulting in a strong customer backlash.

Several councils have also opted to stop hosting traditional citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia no longer commemorate the day during their major January events.

Additionally, some universities and government bodies are offering employees the choice to take a different day off instead of January 26.


Despite calls for a ‘more inclusive’ national day, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ruled out any changes.

The Labor government has allocated $10 million in the 2025 Budget for the Australia Day Events national grant program.

Additionally, they have committed to providing an extra $1.5 million annually starting from 2024-25 for the National Australia Day Council's operations.

A Roy Morgan Research poll conducted earlier this year found that 59 per cent of Australians believe Australia Day should remain on January 26.

Key Takeaways

• Over 200 venues owned by Australian Venue Co will not be celebrating Australia Day, citing the sadness and hurt it causes for some patrons and staff.
• Prominent Indigenous activist Warren Mundine has criticised the move, urging Australians to celebrate elsewhere and accusing the companies of hating the country.
• The controversy over celebrating Australia Day stems from its association with the start of British colonisation and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples.
• Despite calls to change the date, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has ruled out changing the date of Australia Day, with the government allocating funds to support celebrations and the National Australia Day Council.

We at the Seniors Discount Club invite you to share your thoughts and experiences. How do you feel about the decision of these venues not to celebrate Australia Day? Do you have a favourite spot on the list? Let us know in the comments below, and let's continue the conversation about our nation's history and future.

 

[Skeeta22]

I for one will never again support venues that do not recognize Australia Day

 

[Mummanew]

JUST DON'T GO TO ANY OF THOSE PLACES ON THE DAY, THEY WILL LEARN.

Absolutely...go woke go broke as the saying goes.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Your an Australian hater. Your condemning modern Australia for things that happened 250 years ago. No person alive is directly affected by those actions, they also are able to live a life compatible with a modern civilisation. How many of these so called people who are so burdened with heartache, would willing give up everything that the modern civilisation gives them, and return to bark homes with dirt floors and live on what they can kill. Knowing they and their children will live hard, meagre life with inter tribal wars that will decimate their groups, and lead to genocide, rape, child abuse, kidnaping and murder.

Hey buddy, I'm 100% Aussie and what part are you not understanding !!

I'm all for Australia day and believe everyone should be equal.

But for the aboriginal people the 26th is not a day to celebrate.

Australia day is actually celebrated as the day the English landed and took over this land. That is actually what Australia day is.

I think we should change the day even to the day before or after and celebrate it for the great country we have and make it a celebration for everyone.

You want to call me an Australian hater than I will tell you that you have a pea for a brain. What a disrespectful twerp !!

 

[Suzanne rose]

Simple just change the day , even the day after or before.

We need to be treated as one.

Australia Day, 26 January, is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove by its commander Captain Arthur Phillip, in 1788.

It's a sad day for the Aboriginals.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Suzanne Rose, we should not change the date which is PROOF that ALL inhabitants of Australia are ONE people, ALL citizens of Australia, and no longer divided as aborigines, British citizens, etc. Those boycotting the day need to learn the history of the country.

I think we all know the history of our country.

I think we are still divided, Aboriginals receive money each year basically like rent.

Aboriginals receive free education, better medical, cheap housing.

Aboriginals do not Like celebrating Australia Day , as it's the day the English invaded.

Why not change the day and celebrate our country instead of celebrating it as a day the English invaded.

Why not also take away those extra benefits that the Aboriginals get.

It's time each single person who lives in Australia are treated equal

 

[Suzanne rose]

I don't think anyone today should be saying sorry for what happened in history. People of today do not act or think in the same way they did back then, and have in fact learnt from those decisions. We simply should not be obliged to say sorry to anyone. These Aboriginal views are only pretty recent, and the foundation of it all is money related.

I agree we shouldn't have to say sorry. We didn't do anything.

I also said we should all be treated as equals including no extra money or privileges for Aboriginal people

 

[Luckyus]

I've been saying this to so many for so long......

Didn"t all this bullshit start following the yanks.

 

[Harro1948]

Australia Day is just that Australia Day our day to enjoy and remember how this whole wonderful country came about.

 

[drambuie69]

So a change of date will fix every aspect of the 'problem' of the 26th. All the 'hurt, invasion feelings, etc etc etc.... so who gets to decide what is going to be the 'new date' that will heal all the negatives of the 26th. forever. How will it be decided, by the ideology of a political party, by those individuals who hide in the shadows only to run out, cause division and mischief then slink back to the shadows, the narrow minded who go around looking for some cause to push for their own agenda, do the silent majority who don't want the date to change. The big one.. how is it going to be decided... by referendum, an add-on to a Federal Election. A group of WOKE people and Indepenants who can't make a decission and sit in parliament never to he heard from again. WELL, I'm an Australian, I love my country, I have served my Country and my State, so I believe I am entitled to have my suggestion heard and that is 1st of April. I am sure that this will show the World what Aust. stands for, that we are proud, forthright, welcoming and have a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR. So I invite all my fellow Ozzies to join me on the 1st April each year to my BBQ, at Paliament House, where all the good decissions are made by honest, creditable and forthright people sit, looking after the residents of this Country lol.... please bring a plate, your drinks and ice, we are a bit short of cash in Canberra.... and wear something festive including a piece of clothing representing every nation in the world so we can show that we are a non-racial welcoming country.....cheers, and put a smile on your faces.

 

[Thecla]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Maybe we should have an Indigenous day and celebrate them as well.

Isn’t that nadoc week??

 

[Knell]

So a change of date will fix every aspect of the 'problem' of the 26th. All the 'hurt, invasion feelings, etc etc etc.... so who gets to decide what is going to be the 'new date' that will heal all the negatives of the 26th. forever. How will it be decided, by the ideology of a political party, by those individuals who hide in the shadows only to run out, cause division and mischief then slink back to the shadows, the narrow minded who go around looking for some cause to push for their own agenda, do the silent majority who don't want the date to change. The big one.. how is it going to be decided... by referendum, an add-on to a Federal Election. A group of WOKE people and Indepenants who can't make a decission and sit in parliament never to he heard from again. WELL, I'm an Australian, I love my country, I have served my Country and my State, so I believe I am entitled to have my suggestion heard and that is 1st of April. I am sure that this will show the World what Aust. stands for, that we are proud, forthright, welcoming and have a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR. So I invite all my fellow Ozzies to join me on the 1st April each year to my BBQ, at Paliament House, where all the good decissions are made by honest, creditable and forthright people sit, looking after the residents of this Country lol.... please bring a plate, your drinks and ice, we are a bit short of cash in Canberra.... and wear something festive including a piece of clothing representing every nation in the world so we can show that we are a non-racial welcoming country.....cheers, and put a smile on your faces.

(“So a change of date will fix every aspect of the 'problem' of the 26th. All the 'hurt, invasion feelings, etc etc etc…so who gets to decide what is going to be the 'new date' that will heal all the negatives of the 26th. forever.”)

A perfect example of ‘straw man fallacy’!
How very ‘low brow’!

So, 147 years after the fact, the accepted name and date of Australia Day was accepted by all states and territories as Jan 26.

I actually don’t know anyone who celebrates this day as anything other than a public holiday - either a free day off work or penalty pay rates for working. Never in my life have we sat around a table (or gone to the pub for a piss-up) with flags and hats and rejoiced as such. Same for Queen’s/King’s birthday public holiday (what a crock of…) (never been on the date of their actual birthday) LOL. Seems to me that some people just like to stand on a fake moral high ground - just for the sake of it…or just bigoted? Or perhaps even “white supremacy”/“entitlement”? Goodness, how many on here voice their whinges about the car parking spaces not sensitive to their frailties etc. - seems rather trivial by comparison, but they have a right to voice it, yeah?

The topic seems to ‘hurt your feelings’/irritate your backside - seems to me to be the epitome of ‘tribalism’. Yes, hypocrisy annoys me!

 

[Knell]

Good on ya Drambuie69.. This is how ****in Stupid some of these Big Venues & others are, people will just go somewhere else & spend their money, BUT, WELL SAID MATE, HOPE ALL MEMBERS READ IT. "WOKE" people, WAKE UP!!!!! your days at the head of the Parade are numbered & you will be trodden into the dirt & Shit from where you came, crushed & forgotten like the PARASITES that you are. GOOOO 26Th.

LMAO Big Buzz and fans. How crass can you be? Going with the theme of UN’woke’ - I think you and your demographic are the ones whose days are numbered and will be in the dirt, pushing up shit and forgotten MUCH sooner!

Tick Tick Tick!

 

[relljube]

So a change of date will fix every aspect of the 'problem' of the 26th. All the 'hurt, invasion feelings, etc etc etc.... so who gets to decide what is going to be the 'new date' that will heal all the negatives of the 26th. forever. How will it be decided, by the ideology of a political party, by those individuals who hide in the shadows only to run out, cause division and mischief then slink back to the shadows, the narrow minded who go around looking for some cause to push for their own agenda, do the silent majority who don't want the date to change. The big one.. how is it going to be decided... by referendum, an add-on to a Federal Election. A group of WOKE people and Indepenants who can't make a decission and sit in parliament never to he heard from again. WELL, I'm an Australian, I love my country, I have served my Country and my State, so I believe I am entitled to have my suggestion heard and that is 1st of April. I am sure that this will show the World what Aust. stands for, that we are proud, forthright, welcoming and have a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR. So I invite all my fellow Ozzies to join me on the 1st April each year to my BBQ, at Paliament House, where all the good decissions are made by honest, creditable and forthright people sit, looking after the residents of this Country lol.... please bring a plate, your drinks and ice, we are a bit short of cash in Canberra.... and wear something festive including a piece of clothing representing every nation in the world so we can show that we are a non-racial welcoming country.....cheers, and put a smile on your faces.

Does that mean that on 1st April we banish all the fools from Canberra??? Town will be deserted.

 

[Knell]

Does that mean that on 1st April we banish all the fools from Canberra??? Town will be deserted.

Nah, the WORLD would be largely deserted of humans.

 

[Clancieblue]

I don't understand why we keep condemning the British, aren't we all, indigenous as well, reaping the rewards of colonization. Also, the British King was not born when Australia was discovered, how is it his fault.
Do we all want to be shipped to Britian and leave Australia. do the indigenous politicians want to go back and hunt and sit near a camp fire.

 

[Georgie27]

We came here in 1969. The Australia we came to is no longer the same. We came to a place that was welcoming, friendly and helpful. That is no more. Now we have the rest of the worlds unsavoury people who have pushed their own agenda on to our children, where they and us older people no longer go outside. The kids don't play outside as we use to. Older people are treated with disgust and indignity. We would not have the Australia we have today had it not been these older people and the work and life ethics they bought with them. There are some wonderful people out there that help everyone they can with the homeless and those struggling to survive.
That was one word that we did not hear when I was younger Homeless this a symptom of the explosion of immigration. I commend the lovely people that are doing good in the community, unfortunately this kindness is drowned out by the bad in the world.

 

[Knell]

I don't understand why we keep condemning the British, aren't we all, indigenous as well, reaping the rewards of colonization. Also, the British King was not born when Australia was discovered, how is it his fault.
Do we all want to be shipped to Britian and leave Australia. do the indigenous politicians want to go back and hunt and sit near a camp fire.

Your comment - "do the indigenous politicians want to go back and hunt and sit near a camp fire." tells me I waste my time explaining...but, bugger it! I will anyway as I have nothing better to do at this minute.
Why condemn the British? Not sure that I saw that as such, but the British Empire was certainly very, very good at taking/conquering/murdering, yeah? But that is actually beside the point. It was done, it did happen, it was a very bad thing for many. So, they hold a grudge?…yeah, mostly, the extent of which probably depends (and as a result) of how they were treated up to and including now…i.e. generationally. The introduction of drugs and alcohol certainly didn’t help either…all things foreign to them. The invaders did not care to understand or, in fact, tolerate them as humans at all.
The point is, some find it offensive to ‘celebrate’ becoming ‘British Subjects’ against their will and the slaughter of their people. Further, First Nations People have endured a lot of racism and unrealistic expectations that they can just assimilate…because we say so. They were basically hunters and gatherers, although there is evidence that they were actually quite good at farming the land with good practices. They had their own languages/beliefs/cultures. Europe had, at that time, a long history of education and came from (so-called) “civilised” living…in houses, wearing fine clothes and studying science…etc. It isn’t so much about saying “sorry” as it is a sentiment of acknowledgment that they got well and truly shafted, and they were made to feel ashamed of who they were and what colour their skin is…and this continues today if anyone is actually honest with themselves. Many are conditioned to be victims. Many have, however, been able to stand on their own feet and achieve success with the help and programmes that have only relatively recently been afforded them - and this is despite the rampart hate and racism from our proud “Australian Citizens”. I am not indigenous, but have spent some time researching and paying attention with an open mind (I hope so, anyway). Hate, mistreatment and lack of respect brings about the same... human nature, I believe. I see it as the more, so-called “civilised” race, the onus is on us to exercise understanding of such a simple concept as cause and effect.
So the matter of a date seems rather a matter of the viewpoint.

 

[Knell]

Your comment - "do the indigenous politicians want to go back and hunt and sit near a camp fire." tells me I waste my time explaining...but, bugger it! I will anyway as I have nothing better to do at this minute.
Why condemn the British? Not sure that I saw that as such, but the British Empire was certainly very, very good at taking/conquering/murdering, yeah? But that is actually beside the point. It was done, it did happen, it was a very bad thing for many. So, they hold a grudge?…yeah, mostly, the extent of which probably depends (and as a result) of how they were treated up to and including now…i.e. generationally. The introduction of drugs and alcohol certainly didn’t help either…all things foreign to them. The invaders did not care to understand or, in fact, tolerate them as humans at all.
The point is, some find it offensive to ‘celebrate’ becoming ‘British Subjects’ against their will and the slaughter of their people. Further, First Nations People have endured a lot of racism and unrealistic expectations that they can just assimilate…because we say so. They were basically hunters and gatherers, although there is evidence that they were actually quite good at farming the land with good practices. They had their own languages/beliefs/cultures. Europe had, at that time, a long history of education and came from (so-called) “civilised” living…in houses, wearing fine clothes and studying science…etc. It isn’t so much about saying “sorry” as it is a sentiment of acknowledgment that they got well and truly shafted, and they were made to feel ashamed of who they were and what colour their skin is…and this continues today if anyone is actually honest with themselves. Many are conditioned to be victims. Many have, however, been able to stand on their own feet and achieve success with the help and programmes that have only relatively recently been afforded them - and this is despite the rampart hate and racism from our proud “Australian Citizens”. I am not indigenous, but have spent some time researching and paying attention with an open mind (I hope so, anyway). Hate, mistreatment and lack of respect brings about the same... human nature, I believe. I see it as the more, so-called “civilised” race, the onus is on us to exercise understanding of such a simple concept as cause and effect.
So the matter of a date seems rather a matter of the viewpoint.

p.s. And when I speak of drugs, I mean opium brought by the British as the fix-it for all ailments. The British did the same for the China population in the 19th century also…didn’t do them any favours either.

 

[Clancieblue]

Your comment - "do the indigenous politicians want to go back and hunt and sit near a camp fire." tells me I waste my time explaining...but, bugger it! I will anyway as I have nothing better to do at this minute.
Why condemn the British? Not sure that I saw that as such, but the British Empire was certainly very, very good at taking/conquering/murdering, yeah? But that is actually beside the point. It was done, it did happen, it was a very bad thing for many. So, they hold a grudge?…yeah, mostly, the extent of which probably depends (and as a result) of how they were treated up to and including now…i.e. generationally. The introduction of drugs and alcohol certainly didn’t help either…all things foreign to them. The invaders did not care to understand or, in fact, tolerate them as humans at all.
The point is, some find it offensive to ‘celebrate’ becoming ‘British Subjects’ against their will and the slaughter of their people. Further, First Nations People have endured a lot of racism and unrealistic expectations that they can just assimilate…because we say so. They were basically hunters and gatherers, although there is evidence that they were actually quite good at farming the land with good practices. They had their own languages/beliefs/cultures. Europe had, at that time, a long history of education and came from (so-called) “civilised” living…in houses, wearing fine clothes and studying science…etc. It isn’t so much about saying “sorry” as it is a sentiment of acknowledgment that they got well and truly shafted, and they were made to feel ashamed of who they were and what colour their skin is…and this continues today if anyone is actually honest with themselves. Many are conditioned to be victims. Many have, however, been able to stand on their own feet and achieve success with the help and programmes that have only relatively recently been afforded them - and this is despite the rampart hate and racism from our proud “Australian Citizens”. I am not indigenous, but have spent some time researching and paying attention with an open mind (I hope so, anyway). Hate, mistreatment and lack of respect brings about the same... human nature, I believe. I see it as the more, so-called “civilised” race, the onus is on us to exercise understanding of such a simple concept as cause and effect.
So the matter of a date seems rather a matter of the viewpoint.

I hear what you are saying, I don't condone the ill treatment of any living person or creature. I am not racist and take everyone at face value. I don't see how we can change history, the people living now have nothing to do with what happened. I believe the vast majority of Australians just want us all to be treated equally.
if we don't move forward together there will always be someone saying they are discriminated against.

 

[Clancieblue]

p.s. And when I speak of drugs, I mean opium brought by the British as the fix-it for all ailments. The British did the same for the China population in the 19th century also…didn’t do them any favours either.

Opium originated in Arabia, and was brought into China during the Tang dynasty by Turkish and Arab traders. At first, it was used only as medicine, but during the Ming dynasty, the practice of smoking opium mixed with tobacco was brought in from Nanyang (Southeast Asia).