Published in On Our Selection News January 30, 2014 

There’s more to Australia Day than beer.

I see Australia Day as a celebration of the freedom we enjoy. If we want to wear a ratty koala poncho and not much else, then we are well within our right to do so. But what comes with our own freedom is the freedom of others, meaning those who chose get Southern Cross tattoos and shout “Straya” all day are allowed to do so. Australia Day, from my experience, is about beer AND democracy.

Perhaps the best example of this would be Andrew Laming. Not only could the addition of “ton” on the end of his last name make him an iconic Aussie dessert, but this guy seems to have “Straya” down pat. I don’t know what this man stands for, but if he can stand upside down while hastily consuming a can of ale, I can bet you that he just won over hundreds of supporters. Because while that may not make him an exceptional politician, it sure makes him seem like an exceptional bloke.

Another combo of beer and democracy is Triple J’s hottest 100 Countdown, which lists the best 100 songs from 2013 as voted by the people. People listen in, beer in hand, waiting to hear the result. Just like the Federal Election, the result of this nation and worldwide vote is often met with controversy. Every year the number one song is debated, and there is outrage over the songs that didn’t make the top spot. There’s nothing that riles up young, alternative-minded hipsters quite like music and its pop- ularity. And after a day of liberal ale consumption, words like “mainstream” are thrown around on Facebook like molotov cocktails and the quality of songs is debated in the same fashion that Laurie Oaks discusses proposed legislation.

Number one is often called a crap song by the not so keen alternative music fans, and is torn apart by being too mainstream by the very keen alternative music fans. There’s a winning song, but it never really wins – much like actual democracy. The process is a win in itself. Because the thing about democracy is that everyone is given a vote. And while some people take music and/or politics seriously, there are others who don’t care as much. Or people who just don’t know their stuff. One girl was disappointed that Robin Thick’s Blurred Lines didn’t make it in – but even though she spelt “thought” as “thort”, her opinion is still valid. She, like everyone, was still allowed a vote. What is clear is that popularity and merit don’t always correlate. There are times when the most popular song or politician just isn’t as good as the less popular ones. Popular songs aren’t necessarily terrible, and whether or not a song is “good” – like politicians – is entirely subjective. If you hate country music, then you’re hardly going to rate Lee Kernaghan’s new CD.

But the beauty of events like countdowns and elections is that they give us an opportunity for discussion. And by discussion, I mean complaints. The mere act of complaining is a political act in itself. Complain loudly and to a big audience, and you’re doing a fair bit for democracy. We’re not all able to agree all of the time. And we shouldn’t. Lorde might be better than Vance Joy, and Daft Punk may be just a little overrated. But as Australians these are the discussions that we’re able to have, and enjoy. And on Australia Day, we’re able to do it with a beer in hand.