Take Stock of This

My hot take? Bring back the tattoo of the Southern Cross.^[1]

Foundational to the nation of Australia, the Eureka Flag^[2] was a direct symbol of resistance to colonial authority. The use of the constellation only visible south of the equator was a taunt to the colonial overlords reigning from the antipodes.

If you went to primary school in NSW, you may remember a school excursion to the gold mines in Bathurst. If you really paid attention in class, you'll remember that at dawn, on 3 December 1854, almost 300 police attacked the crudely barricaded stockade in the Eureka Lead goldfields.^[3] Flying the anti-colonial banner of the Southern Cross, 22 of the 120-150 miners were killed in the violent police raid. 13 captured rebels were put on trial for high treason but one by one, all were eventually acquitted by a jury of peers.^{[4] [5]}

This event accelerated the wave of male suffrage in Australia^[6] and created a foundational myth of Australian democracy.^[7]

Of course, I wouldn’t be writing this if it weren’t relevant to what has been happening in Sydney this week.^{[8] [9] [10]} Ironically, a party underpinned by the unionist movement now finds itself on the other side of another Eureka conflict. While your federal counterpart rolls out the red carpet for a man accused of genocide, enacting anti-protest laws and defending police violence against protesters may be the most cowardly way out of a tough situation. From one New South Welshman to another, Chris Minns has shown his true colours.

Perhaps this week, we should reflect on the more distant history of our guiding stars and consider wearing the Southern Cross again with pride.