HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

Today is the day we celebrate being Australians. It's our national holiday. Today is the anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet of European settlers 220 years ago. Many Aboriginals call this Invasion Day and want the date changed.

Yes, we have those who are unemployed, unhoused, unfed and/or unloved.
Crime is, unfortunately, not unknown in this country.
We have bushfires, droughts and flooding rains; disasters both natural and man-made.

However, there are many good things to celebrate:

We have good food and clean, safe drinking water.
We have social security no matter how much time we've been in the workforce.
We have a reasonably priced health care system - with basic health care free to many who cannot otherwise afford it.
We have freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom of religious practise.
We live in a democracy without war or civil unrest.
Education is available to all at very little cost at the primary and high school levels.

Indeed, we have much to be thankful for in this "Great South Land of the Holy Spirit".