It seems that every year the debate around the date for our national holiday grows more heated. Let's take a look at some of the commentary from 2021, with a particular focus on the lexical choice of several organisations in the public eye.
ABC News took the politically neutral route, although many still saw the inclusion of the proper noun 'Invasion Day' as siding with progressive ideologies. The negative connotations associated with the noun 'invasion' (here used as an adjective to modify the noun 'day') imply wrong-doing, and some feel that this term aims to allocate blame to non-Indigenous Australians. Proponents of the label 'Invasion Day' feel that it is an appropriate descriptor which acknowledges the suffering and death of Indigenous Australians as a result of colonisation, thus catering to their face needs.
Cricket Australia decided to drop the term 'Australia Day' from their Big Bash League coverage on January 26. They came under fire from some commentators (see more here) but received support from many others. While they stopped short of using the label 'Invasion Day', the decision not to use the proper noun 'Australia Day' did cater to the face needs of Indigenous Australians by acknowledging the pain invoked by that term.
Similarly, Mamamia Australia, a popular online publication aimed at women, put out a statement saying that they would not use the label 'Australia Day' on January 26.
This deliberate avoidance of a term that is increasingly considered taboo shows solidarity with Indigenous communities. It is also a marker of identity in the sense that 'brands' can be considered as having an identity. Mamamia Australia is aware that its target demographic is likely to be more progressive than conservative.
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