Invasion Day 2022: why Aboriginal Tasmanians will never accept January 26

The minute's silence came before the spoken portion of Tasmania's first online Invasion Day rally, allowing thousands of people from across the state and nation to attend without fear of COVID spreading.

Using images of fallen Aboriginal warriors was to offer them the level of recognition that non-Aboriginal war heroes are given each Anzac and Remembrance day, organiser Nala Mansell said.

The hour-long rally included a pre-recorded message from 2021 Australia of the Year Grace Tame, who said her role was to listen.

"As someone who understands - in a completely different context - what it's like to have your narrative controlled by somebody else, I believe that my role in this pursuit for change and justice is one of solidarity and support from the sidelines," she said.

"I just want to listen and stand alongside all of you in solidarity. I'm on your side."

A series of short videos from young Aboriginal Tasmanians outlined why they would continue to protest against Australia Day on January 26 until change happened.

Palawa man Kye Crosswell said it did not make sense for a nation to celebrate such a divisive day in its history.

"I will not celebrate Invasion Day this year because, for my people, the palawa, we might as well be celebrating the atrocities of World War Two. It's just not logical," he said.

"Would you celebrate genocide?"

Merinda Sainty described the moment she realised why her community was so opposed to the January 26 celebrations, and said it was never too late for others to have the same realisation.

READ MORE: Divers re-enter First Basin as search continues for missing swimmer

"No one is immune to being wrong or being ignorant at times, it's what you do when you realise you're wrong that matters," she said.

The Tasmanian Government last year launched a process towards treaty and truth-telling, while Premier Peter Gutwein has discussed his concern at using January 26 for Australia Day.

Kitana Mansell-Burns said it was hard to believe the date of Australia Day had not changed yet.

Yasmeen Sulieman - a young woman representing the Syrian-Lebanese communities of Tasmania - said the date was a reflection of the racism that still exists in Australian society, and changing the date would be just one step.

Education and understanding would be key to curing the "disease of racism", she told the thousands of listeners.

Unions have increasingly pushed for workplaces to give staff the option of continuing to work on January 26 and taking a public holiday in lieu on a different date.

READ MORE: Damage to Aboriginal petroglyph site investigated

Anglican Archbishop of Tasmania Richard Condie was among those to give his staff permission to take such action - which he himself was doing - hoping the trend would become more widespread.

"I'm not going to a barbecue or to the beach or to an Australia Day celebration... I'm going to begin the day by lamenting our sad history and then go to work," he said.

"We need to tell the truth about where we've come from, who we really are, and where we're going."

Former Supreme Court judge Pierre Slicer remained concerned that the date had not yet changed.

"Why celebrate a landing, an invasion? We should celebrate when we have remedied the harm, not praising ourselves for where we have been," he said.

"Let us choose another day."

READ MORE: Rod had a heart attack last year. This treatment likely saved his life

As Aboriginal Tasmanian activist Rodney Gibbins put it, maintaining Australia Day on January 26 was "bizarre".

"It's basically cultural alienation of black fellas in this country," he said.

"It's where the Australian Government is insisting that there's a unified community out there that is celebrating the day - what I would call a day of infamy - when the white fellas arrived on these shores, not welcomed ... and not even in a friendly matter."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: