AUSTRALIA'S : INVASION DAY ON NATIONAL DAY

MELBOURNE : TENS OF THOUSANDS of people marched across Australia Friday in an ''Invasion Day'' protest calling for a rethink of the national day they say is offensive to indigenous people.

The annual January 26 Australia Day holiday commemorates the arrival of the first British settlers in 1788, but for many Australians-

 It marks the beginning of colonial oppression of Aboriginal people.

''Australia is a diverse culture now, and we need to be inclusive to everyone, so change the date [of the national day],'' Melbourne protestor Rachel Muir told AFP.

More than 10,000  people joined a march Melbourne where protestors chanted ''always was, and always will be aboriginal land,'' and holding banners stating : ''You are on stolen land.''

Thousands more people rallied in major cities across the country.

''Australia has to come to terms with our indigenous peoples,'' protester Greg Hunt told AFP.

''To celebrate  Australia Day on the day that Europeans invaded Australia is an affront and very, very disrespectful to the people, whose land we took.''

Agencies.