Australia’s deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley has stirred controversy with her Australia Day address, in which she praised the arrival of British settlers in 1788 and likened it to Elon Musk’s mission to establish a colony on Mars. Her comments come amidst an apparent shift by the Coalition to align more closely with right-wing global figures like Musk and former US president Donald Trump.
Ley Defends ‘Objectively Good’ Settlement
In her speech to a church service in Albury, Ley rejected criticisms of Australia Day and the impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples. “Despite the black arm brigade, who will be marching in the streets of our cities today, the fact is the story of Australia is one that is objectively good,” she declared.
Ley went on to argue that the First Fleet “did not come to destroy” but rather to “embark on a new experiment and a new society.” She then drew a controversial parallel between the British arrivals and Elon Musk’s SpaceX program, which aims to establish human settlements on Mars.
In what could be compared to Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s efforts to build a new colony on Mars, men in boats arrived on the edge of the known world to embark on that new experiment.
Dutton Unveils ‘Government Efficiency’ Role
Ley’s speech follows a reshuffle by opposition leader Peter Dutton which created a new shadow minister role for “government efficiency” – an apparent nod to Musk’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The position will be filled by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Some observers see the moves as an attempt by the Coalition to align themselves with influential right-wing figures like Musk and Trump. Musk has been critical of the Albanese government’s tech regulations and is known to be close with mining magnate Gina Rinehart, a Dutton ally.
PM Warns of Political Polarization
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, has expressed concerns about increasing political polarization in Australia. In his own Australia Day comments, he called for unity and criticized Dutton for “looking for the wedge” by refusing to attend a citizenship ceremony with the PM.
I don’t want to see the polarisation that’s occurred in some democracies. I want Australians to be united, to show our common interest.
– Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia
Debates Over History, Reconciliation Continue
Ley’s speech is the latest entry in Australia’s ongoing and often heated debates over its colonial past, the impact on Indigenous communities, and the path to reconciliation. Her remarks praising settlement and drawing space analogies are sure to further inflame tensions around January 26th.
As political battle lines appear to harden, with the Coalition taking cues from divisive overseas figures, the challenges of forging a unifying national identity and reckoning with history loom as large as ever. Charting a path forward will require grappling with uncomfortable truths – a more complex undertaking than simply declaring Australia’s story “objectively good.”
