In the last few minutes (history time) some white dudes, notably the Greens, have taken it upon themselves to speak for Australia’s indigenous population, to express their imagined upset over celebrating Australia Day on January 26 – first so named in 1935, first celebrated as such in 1994. What could have prompted this sudden outburst of January 26 mania now? Surely not lefty fashion trends?

The irony of Aboriginals like Warren Mundine and Jacinta and Bess Price telling them to shut up is delicious. The Greens are not blackfellas. Indeed, a former member of their ranks, Kerry Nettle, knocked out the Aboriginal senator Aden Ridgeway. This paternalistic outpouring of offence taking on behalf of Aborigines is not even virtue signalling, since there is no accepted virtue in it, given that there is no such call from those who the Greens claim are insulted.

Indigenous Australians aren’t infants, and this outbreak of whitefella stupidity does nobody any good. It’s risible.

The dummy spitting local councils who have taken it upon themselves to likewise protest at January 26 makes it easier to laugh at this phenomenon. A bit like the self-important notices some used to put up declaring their suburb a nuclear-free zone. No nukes here, thanks. That’s all it takes to stop Armageddon.

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