Boomerang Australia Studies

Some people will say there is no such thing as an Australian culture. When they do, they clearly identify themselves as "racists" because a racist is someone who thinks he or she is superior to another race. Not only are they saying they are superior to Australians, they are denying even the existence of the Australian culture.

But we're all migrants, they say. Well, no, we're not all migrants. Many Australians have never even been outside Australian shores. The early settlers were not migrants, they were colonists.

There is a vast difference between a migrant and a colonist. A migrant comes to a new country which has all the infrastructures already in place to support him or her: roads, rails, schools, sewers, social services, electricity, gas, hospitals, communications, police, and so forth.

Colonists come to a new country and carves civilisation out of the wilderness (sometimes facing great danger). When they first arrive, there is nothing. They have to plant crops for food, build shelter, clear forests, build roads, adjust to a new environment, conquer vast distances, establish systems of transport. They endure incredible hardship, bitter disappointment, often tragedy, to build the country. They must be tough, resourceful, intelligent, determined if they are to succeed.

They did succeed well, they succeeded in building the best country in the world: Australia.

"You're only 200 years old", they will say, "that's nothing compared to some cultures which are centuries old".

We're not only 200 years old. We did not just appear out of the earth, we inherited some of the best traditions of Britain: The English system of law; Christianity; the separation of power by virtue of the Monarchy; rights to freehold ownership of private property; freedom of speech, movement, association, assembly; trial by our peers; the right to legal representation and to face our accuser in open court.

These rights come to us over many centuries through the common law of England. In centuries past, while many other "cultures" were cannibalising each other, we had rights.

In recent years, millions of people from the four corners of the earth have flocked to this safe harbour to escape wars, dictators, tyrants, oppression, poverty, misery and pollution. They come here to bask in our way of life. They are able to come to this sanctuary because of the sacrifices of our men and women in Two World Wars and Other Wars, our pioneers and explorers.


In wartime, our soldiers did not place much stock in saluting officers or always following orders. In their rough and ready way, using initiative, courage and determination, they set about to win the battle and the war.

Nowhere were our traditions of 'mate-ship' and egalitarianism more obvious than in time of war. They stuck together like glue, backed each other up, died and suffered for their 'mates'.

On Anzac Day we see old Diggers reminiscing about old battles. Their love for each other is obvious. They regard their mates as 'family'.

Australia has always been a politically stable country, in the sense that we have never had a revolution or widespread political violence. This has been possible because of the strength of our institutions: the Constitutional Monarchy, Christianity, Parliaments, English system of law, the rights referred to above, respect for human life and dignity, sense of a 'fair-go'.

Australia is a highly sophisticated country, amongst the best in the world in communications, medicine, science, insurance, business management, computers and banking. Our English system of law (although not perfect) is one of the best systems in the world.

We pioneered the invention and development of agricultural machinery. We built ships, aeroplanes, motor vehicles.

We were involved in pioneering flight.

Our poets, writers, musicians, artists, scientists have world recognition.

We were amongst the first in the world in many social reforms: the vote for women, the eight hour day, pensions, the basic wage, free public education, the secret ballot.

Our open spaces, sunshine, clean environment have been inducive to sport, in which we have also excelled.

We are open and direct, we speak our mind and are impatient with unnecessary pomp, ceremony and formality. We are relaxed and easy going. We admire the "Aussie battler", the person who never gives up under adversity.

There have been the colourful periods of our history: our explorers, pioneers, shearers, bushrangers, the gold rushes. Our drovers moved large mobs of cattle across vast distances. Cynics will say that this is "an Aussie myth" because we now mostly live in cities. This is not myth, it is part of our history, and history is integral to culture.

We sometimes hear the expression, "that's un-Australian". That simply means that it is
behaviour unacceptable to Australians, or someone is taking unfair advantage of someone else, or it offends our sense of right and wrong, of a "fair-go". It is only an expression, but it speaks volumes about our character and culture.

To deny our Australian culture and identity is to deny all this. To deny our Australian culture is racism.

Today, there is limited teaching of Australian History in our schools and young people have a very poor knowledge of our history. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Russian dissident and intellectual, said in his BBC Address on 26/3/76:
"A people which no longer remembers has lost its history and its soul".

Knowledge of our history is an essential part of defining our identity and culture. Without this knowledge we have lost our soul. A country without a soul is not a nation at all. It is in a highly vulnerable position to foreign takeover, whether by economic or military means.

The teaching of Australian History must be a compulsory subject in our schools.