When the Australia Day Council asked Steve Widders to become an Australia Day Ambassador he thought it would be a good time to give an Aboriginal perspective on a day of celebration where Aboriginal people were not generally included.
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"I accepted it some time ago and this is about my eighth time, always in the New England region because I feel that going into a a community that I don't know, well there's not much point in that," he said.
Mr Widders asked to be sent to Uralla this year as its ambassador.
"I prefer to go where people know me so I can make a bit of an impact maybe," he said.
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"I ask questions and challenge the audience. I'll say what it is that we're celebrating? We really have to look at what we're celebrating. What the day is all about?"
Mr Widders said many did not know what any public holidays were about.
"They wouldn't know about Federation Day, the true meaning of Anzac Day," he said.
"Anzac Day only celebrates the white Australians who fought overseas, they don't acknowledge the black Australians who fought for this country.
"So, I think there has to be a different perspective, and what better time to do it than on Australia Day."
Mr Widders said it needed to be done in a nice way.
"Done as an ambassadorial person. I'm not going to be argumentative about anything because what's happened in the past - none of us were there.
It was a different time, a different world and we can't blame each other for that, but white Australia has a black history." he said.
"I'm a staunch Australian, don't worry about that, but I'm an Aboriginal Australian too and not many Aboriginal Australian's agree with Australia Day, certainly not many in Armidale."
He said an invasion or survival day would be held here.
"I just want to be honest and open about it because there are a lot of things that we are not taught. Like every Australian, I like the fun of Australia Day, but I know what I want to celebrate.
"We've got a good future here. We're continually rated in the top 10 countries in the world, we've got good health, education and we've got freedom.
"That's why I support refugees. I'm the first to put my hand out and say, 'You come and live with us.'."
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