Indigenous presenter Narelda Jacobs vows to ‘educate’ Aussies on January 26

Indigenous presenter Narelda Jacobs is urging citizens not to celebrate Australia Day on January 26.

January 26 marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.

For many Indigenous Australians, this day is not a cause for celebration, but rather a reminder of the dispossession of their lands, culture and peoples.

Indigenous presenter Narelda Jacobs (pictured) has vowed to ‘educate’ citizens on Australia Day and why it shouldn’t be celebrated on January 26 

Narelda, who is of Aboriginal and Irish descent, told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that many Australians remain unaware of the history of colonialism, and feels it’s her responsibility to ‘educate’ the country on why the date should be changed. 

‘There is no way that we can celebrate on January 26 – not now and not into the future, because the impacts of colonisation have lasted 230-something years, and will continue to last because it’s intergenerational,’ she said. 

‘The poverty that we have in this country among First Nations people is absolutely harrowing and yet, half an hour down the road, you can go from extreme poverty to billionaire’s row. So that’s what January 26 represents to me – it was the beginning of that trauma for our people.’ she continued.

Narelda, who is of Aboriginal and Irish descent, told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that many Australians remain unaware of the history of colonialism, and feels it’s her responsibility to ‘educate’ the country on why the date should be changed 

‘So we need to open the eyes to the rest of the population, and educate them about changing the date and it not being a date to celebrate – then we will be a better country.’

The Studio 10 panelist also said she ‘felt like crying tears of joy’ after Channel 10 bosses recently sent out a now-infamous email to staff saying they could come to work instead of taking Australia Day off in 2023. 

Parent company Paramount ANZ’s chief content officer Beverley McGarvey and co-lead Jarrod Villani referred to Australia Day only as ‘January 26’ in the memo. 

The Studio 10 panelist also said she ‘felt like crying tears of joy’ after Channel 10 bosses recently sent out a now-infamous email to staff saying they could come to work instead of taking Australia Day off in 2023 

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The pair told staff it was ‘not a day of celebration’ for Indigenous people and said employees could decide whether they wished to take the day off as a public holiday or work if they preferred.

It comes after Narelda sparked a heated debate on social media after she called for the monarchy to apologise for its colonisation of First Nations people following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Her request was met with support from some progressive Australians but also backlash from Britons who feel they do not owe First Nations people an apology for the actions of their ancestors more than 200 years ago. 

Others pointed out that Narelda is of Irish and English descent on her mother’s side, making her ‘as much British as she is Indigenous’.

Narelda’s late father Cedric was an Indigenous man and a member of the Stolen Generations, while her mother Margaret, who is white, migrated to Australia from Northern Ireland with her family.

It comes after Narelda sparked a heated debate on social media after she called for the monarchy to apologise for its colonisation of First Nations people following the death of Queen Elizabeth II