Mark Latham has renewed his calls to keep Australia Day on January 26, launching a full-scale advertising campaign he dubs ‘Save the Date’.
The former Labor leader claimed there ‘was no invasion’ in 1788 and argued ‘a large number’ of Aboriginal people celebrate Australia Day each year.
‘There was no organised military resistance or organised military conflict in terms of a war… There was no invasion,’ he told 2GB Radio on Friday.
‘There were some terrible things that were done to Indigenous people in the early 19th and 20th centuries. But you can talk about the past as much as you like.’
Mark Latham has launched a full-scale advertising campaign which he dubs ‘Save the Date’
The former Labor leader claimed there ‘was no invasion’ in 1788 and argued ‘a large number’ of Aboriginal people celebrate Australia Day each year (stock image)
Mr Latham said the problems many disadvantaged Indigenous Australians face would not be solved by moving the date of Australia Day.
He also argued the housing, employment and education benefits some Aboriginal people receive are the result of ‘western civilisation [coming] here on the 26th of January, 1788.’
With the support of Alice Springs Indigenous Councillor Jacinta Price, Mr Latham has launched a television, radio and social media advertising campaign top support his cause.
‘All the elites in Australia want to abolish Australia Day on January 26th,’ he said in a Facebook video uploaded on Friday.
With the support of Alice Springs Indigenous Councillor Jacinta Price (pictured), Mr Latham has launched a television, radio and social media advertising campaign
‘Well here at Mark Latham’s Outsiders we’re putting the alternative case… It would be a very, very sad and unfortunate thing if we lost our Australia Day.’
Mr Latham released a clip of a television advertisement which will soon air across the country.
The outspoken commentator said it demonstrates what things would look like in Australia if the ‘loony left got their way’.
The advertisement shows a young girl handing an Australia Day card to an actor who plays her mother.
A TV advertisement shows a young girl handing an Australia Day card to an actor who plays her mother
In the advertisement, the mother takes the Australia Day card to a shredder and destroys it
Alarmed, the woman takes the card to a shredder in the kitchen of the family home and destroys it.
Ms Price then says: ‘Australia Day is under serious threat. How sad is that? Save Australia Day. It will be a sad day if we lose it.’
Mr Latham is asking for donations to help fund the campaign.
‘Australia Day is under serious threat. How sad is that?’ Ms Price says in the advertisement