Australia Day - Downunder

Australia Day, January 26, is the biggest day of celebration in the country and is observed as a public holiday in all states and territories.

On Australia Day we come together as a nation celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation.

It's the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future.

The people - The life savers on the beach and the farmers in the bush; the larrikins; our sporting heroes, artists and visionaries; the volunteers who dedicate their lives to others; the spirit of pulling together in hard times and achieving beyond expectation; the eminent Australians from all walks of life, the battlers and the ordinary Australians who are anything but ordinary.

Our land - Fragile yet enduring. Harsh and extreme, lush and bountiful-a continent like no other. Our ancient land offers boundless opportunity, sustains us and makes us who we are.

Our diversity - A nation of difference and unity. People from the city, the country, different nations and backgrounds; we are one people, living together. Through our diverse beliefs and experiences we learn from each other and grow together.

The indigenous cultures - The rich and resilient spirituality; the knowledge, art and history. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are part of Australia's identity and culture.

Our freedom and democracy - A society built on fundamental rights and responsibilities. Freedom of thought and expression. Participation in government and respect for and equality under the law.

A fair go for all - An enduring spirit of mateship and fairness. A compassionate society committed to access to employment, housing, health and education. Ours is a land of opportunity where we can do anything.

Here are some trivias on Australia:

1) Australia has the highest proportion of immigrants of all countries. 1/4 of all Australians are foreign born, but you won't sense it by appearance because as many as half of them are born in Britain and New Zealand. In fact, NZ passport holders constitute the largest group of foreigners living in Australia.

2) Politically the culture is the most American of all non-US Western countries. The Liberal Party and National Party are the most conservative of all major centre-right political parties besides the US Republicans, while the Australian Labor Party is the most right-leaning centre-left party save US Democrats (this alone doesn't say much considering the nuttiness of Howard Dean, BarbaraLee, Dennis Kununich, Hillary Clinton etc, but it says a lot that Australia is on the right-wing side relatively speaking. Most rank-and-file Westerners sneer at Australia "Australia? It's just a second United States!"

3) For good or bad, like Canada, Australia is dominated by two cities, Syndey and Melbourne. Fortunately Sydney is politically largely moderate and Melbourne is like Toronto. And in addition, smaller states have proportionately more influence due to elected and politically power-wielding Senate and equal state participation. The disease of leftism affects Australia far less than Canada as a result.

4) Culturally speaking, Australia follows British norms but with American hearts. An example is sports: they play cricket with American-type of seriousness and competitiveness. The result? the gaps between Australia and second most powerful cricket-playing nation in the world is wider than the Pacific Ocean.

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