In a conversation with NITV Radio, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe explained the origins of Anzac style Invasion Day Dawn Services.
She said having attended Invasion Day Rallies all her life she’d realised that these types of events are not for everybody, especially for the elderly and the disabled.
“I wanted to bring to the people another option that started with healing and peace,” Lidia Thorpe said.
“I’ve had feedback from people with disability, people with autism, elderly people who find that the Dawn Service is what they prefer to do because it is a quiet event, even if there is more and more people attending.”
She also stressed that she would have been happy with having just a few people attending the inaugural Invasion Day Dawn Service on the 26th of January which attracted around 2000 people.
The concept has grown in popularity over the years and has been taken up by various Local Government Areas.
“It really opened a space for people to come together and learn of the horrific injustices that continue to occur but also take some of the pain by standing with us on a day that is so painful.”
