Australia’s Indian community is intensifying its efforts to have Diwali recognized as a formal public holiday across the nation.
This year, the festival of lights, which occurred on October 31, stands as the most significant celebration in the Hindu calendar. Advocates for cultural recognition have long pushed for Australia to acknowledge Diwali, as well as other important observances such as Lunar New Year and Eid, to better reflect the country’s diverse multicultural population.
Sai Paravastu, president of the Hindu Council of Australia, highlighted that hundreds of thousands of Australians celebrate Diwali. “Hindus have come from over 32 countries to make Australia their home,” he stated. Paravastu emphasized that establishing Diwali as a public holiday would provide an opportunity for all Australians to engage with the festival. “This day off would encourage others to visit our temples and learn about our traditions, fostering greater understanding among communities.”
Support for this initiative has also been voiced by federal Labor MP Andrew Charlton, who called for recognition of Diwali as a public holiday during a recent parliamentary session. He noted that, over the past twenty years, “the whole of Australia has fallen in love with Diwali.” Charlton remarked on the widespread celebration of the festival, from Darwin to Hobart, highlighting its importance as a joyous occasion that embodies fundamental values.
As of July 2022, the number of Indian-born individuals residing in Australia reached 753,520, marking a significant increase over the past decade. According to the Department of Home Affairs, this population is now the second-largest migrant group in Australia, following those from the UK. They represent 9.8 percent of Australia’s overseas-born residents and 2.9 percent of the total population. The median age of Indian-born migrants is 35.9 years, with males comprising 54.2 percent and females 45.8 percent.
The 2021 Census revealed that 2.7 percent of Australians practice Hinduism. In contrast, the number of Christians in Australia declined by one million between 2016 and 2021, with Christianity remaining the most prevalent religion at 43.9 percent, followed by those identifying as non-religious at 38.9 percent, Islam at 3.2 percent, and Buddhism at 2.4 percent.
A report from the Lowy Institute last year suggested that Australia’s current public holidays predominantly reflect western Christian traditions, despite only a quarter of Australians attending church at least once a year. The think tank advocated for the inclusion of more public holidays, arguing that this would enhance Australia’s image beyond being a “western outpost on the edge of the Indo-Pacific” and would send a powerful message to the world.
“In a time of rising global concerns about intolerance, this would serve as a significant symbolic gesture from a western liberal democracy,” the report stated. It posited that expanding the public holiday calendar could promote unity and foster understanding of diverse beliefs and practices, ultimately normalizing cultural pluralism within Australian society.
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