gr ily ▁debate ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁gen o cide ▁in ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁Ab original ▁populations . ▁ ▁They ▁debate ▁how ▁" B rit ish " ▁or ▁" mult icult ural " ▁Australia ▁has ▁been ▁histor ically , ▁and ▁how ▁it ▁should ▁be ▁today . ▁ ▁The ▁r het or ic ▁has ▁es cal ated ▁into ▁national ▁politics , ▁often ▁tied ▁to ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁whether ▁the ▁royal ty ▁should ▁be ▁disc arded ▁and ▁Australia ▁become ▁a ▁republic . ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁angry ▁statements ▁by ▁those ▁ad her ing ▁to ▁the ▁older ▁pro - B rit ish ▁position . ▁ ▁Interest ▁in ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁Australian ▁history ▁has ▁pl ung ed , ▁and ▁some ▁schools ▁and ▁univers ities ▁have ▁sharp ly ▁cut ▁it ▁back . ▁ ▁Deb ates ▁on ▁the ▁found ing ▁Histor ians ▁have ▁used ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁Australia ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁British ▁Empire . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁planned ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁replacement ▁for ▁the ▁lost ▁American ▁colon ies . ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁Lo yal ist ▁James ▁Mat ra ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁wrote ▁" A ▁Pro pos al ▁for ▁Est ab lish ing ▁a ▁S ett lement ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales " ▁propos ing ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁col ony ▁composed ▁of ▁American ▁Lo yal ists , ▁Chinese ▁and ▁South ▁Sea ▁Island ers ▁( but ▁not ▁conv ict s ). ▁ ▁Mat ra ▁reason ed ▁that ▁the ▁land ▁country ▁was ▁suitable ▁for ▁plant ations ▁of ▁sugar , ▁cot