Dawkins changes mind about Australia Day after move to One Nation

A lot can change in less than six weeks — just ask now One Nation party Member Ben Dawkins about his change of heart over Australia Day. The South West MLC and newest member of the One Nation party has pivoted to the keep-the-date team, despite advocating to change the date just 41 days ago. Mr Dawkins told the South Western Times he will now tow the party line on keeping the date the same, and credited the change to being educated by his new party on the public support for keeping Australia Day on January 26. “I wasn’t aware before of the polling or anything about the numbers of people who are in favour of it so I completely understand where the party’s coming from if the majority of Australians have been polled effectively, then I’m fully on board with that,” he said. On January 26 this year, Mr Dawkins made his previously held views as an Independent clear with a post to his TikTok page with Bunbury’s Skyfest fireworks behind him. “Here we are in Koombana Bay, my name’s Ben Dawkins, this is Australia Day in Western Australia,” he said. “Just change the date to another date in January — everybody wins. “Give up something that doesn’t cost you anything by changing the date and everyone’s happy. “We love Australia, we love our Indigenous cousins, thank you.” A One Nation spokesperson said the party was aware of Mr Dawkins’ previous position but was comfortable he was now on board with the party’s policy. “One Nation is of course aware of Mr Dawkins’ stated views about Australia Day,” he said. ‘Like Mr Dawkins, One Nation opposes the deliberate stoking of racial divisions in the community over issues like Australia Day and we have no issue with Mr Dawkins — in his capacity as an independent MLC who was not articulating One Nation views — previously suggesting a change of date as a possible way of ending this unnecessary division before he joined One Nation. “Mr Dawkins is fully aware of One Nation’s views and policies. This includes our view that Australia Day be held on January 26 in accordance with the wishes of the majority of Australians.”