Overview

• Sussan Ley, deputy Liberal leader, likened the arrival of the First Fleet to Elon Musk's SpaceX mission to Mars during an Australia Day speech.
• Ley's comments aimed to highlight the 'daring' nature of the colonial expedition and counter narratives portraying 1788 as an invasion.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized the analogy as 'disrespectful,' emphasizing that Australia was inhabited by Indigenous peoples for tens of thousands of years before colonization.
• Finance Minister Katy Gallagher also dismissed the analogy, calling it 'nuts,' while Coalition members defended Ley's remarks as a celebration of Australia's founding story.
• The debate comes as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledges to restore pride in Australia Day, rejecting shame associated with the country's colonial history.