The 250th anniversary of the landing of James Cook on the rocky shore of Kurnell 250 years ago yesterday passed barely noticed bar a few newspaper articles.  Such commemorations as were planned by the Morrison government and others have been cancelled by the Wuhan virus lockdown, but one can’t help but feel the Prime Minister is breathing a sigh of relief that is so: he hasn’t had to justify recognising the foundation stone of our nation to the woke, Aboriginal activists and the black armband industry.

The Australian’s resident historian, Troy Bramston, tweeted yesterday “James Cook was one of the world’s...