“Over the past year, we have all faced extraordinary and occasionally unthinkable challenges - fire, flood, drought and the pandemic.

It’s been tough, and it’s called upon our character as a nation. 

But our resilience has shone through. We stepped up.

People were compassionate to their neighbours, friends, family and even strangers.

Australians and businesses have adapted and innovated to keep our communities well served and healthy. 

Of course, Australia Day is a time to reflect on how lucky we are, on how we got to where we are. 

On how we forged our unity as a nation, and how we have maintained that unity, since federation, with extraordinary success.

Our history, like any good history, is one of great achievement, as well as failures. 

We have protected our freedoms, revelled in our democracy built our prosperity and embraced millions of new Australians.

And we should be united in our love for Australia, warts and all.

Over time, we have never been shy about acknowledging those warts. 

For years Australians didn’t acknowledge our convict history, but now we embrace it with pride. 

For years we didn’t recognise the full impact European settlement had on indigenous communities, but now we do. 

For years we felt as though our European forbears were in many ways superior, but now, if anything, we see ourselves as luckier, pluckier and more united. 

We are the envy of the world in many ways. 

We have our own distinct culture and voice in the world. 

One that we are all proud of.

Unity and pride require all of us to reject the false siren call of those trying to divide, and those trying to tell us our pride is misplaced.

I, for one, want to see Australia Day continue in its current form. 

We should recognise our limitations and challenges as a nation. 

We should also acknowledge that we can always do better. 

But we should never attempt to cancel our history.”

An excerpt from Minister Taylor’s 2021 Australia Day address to be given at Victoria Park, Goulburn.