Australia Day debate

Previously, Australia Day public holidays were held on different dates around Australia (such as a movable Monday or Friday for long weekends) with the first "Australia Day" being designated as Friday 30 July 1915 (as fundraising for World War I), and 26 January having been formerly recognised by different names (prior to 1946) as a regionally-specific date lacking national recognition (prior to 1935) and lacking official celebrations in the nation's own capital.

Some reasons put forward are that the current date, celebrating the foundation of the Colony of New South Wales, lacks national significance;[9] that the day falls during school holidays which limits the engagement of schoolchildren in the event;[9] and that it fails to encompass members of the Indigenous community and some others who perceive the day as commemorating the date of an invasion of their land.

[11] In 1888, prior to the first centennial anniversary of the First Fleet landing on 26 January 1788, New South Wales premier Henry Parkes was asked about inclusion of Aboriginal people in the celebrations.

[13] The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established outside Old Parliament House, Canberra, on Australia Day in 1972, and celebrated 50 years of existence in 2022.

[14] A large gathering of Aboriginal people in Sydney in 1988 led an "Invasion Day" commemoration marking the loss of Indigenous culture.

[20] A move to change the date would have to be made by a combination of the Australian federal and state governments,[21] and has thus far lacked sufficient political and public support.

In 2001, Prime Minister John Howard stated that he acknowledged Aboriginal concerns with the date, but that it was nevertheless a significant day in Australia's history, and should therefore be retained.

[22] In 2009, in response to Mick Dodson's suggestion to reopen the debate, prime minister Kevin Rudd refused to do so, and opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull agreed; however both supported the right of Australians to raise the issue.

Frontbencher Ken Wyatt supported the proposal, suggesting establishing it on a day during NAIDOC Week in July.

[27] In August 2017 the council of the City of Yarra, in Melbourne, resolved unanimously that it would no longer hold citizenship ceremonies on 26 January and stop referring to it as Australia Day, instead holding an event acknowledging Aboriginal culture and history;[28] the City of Darebin soon followed suit.

[48][49] This advertisement was the subject of a study which analysed the degree of polarisation in comments published in response by proponents and opponents of changes to Australia Day.

Opponents of changes to Australia Day were found by this study to have a significantly higher level of hostility than proponents in their social media interaction with the parody advertisement.

[51][52][53][54] Among those calling for change have been Tony Beddison, then chairman of the Australia Day Committee (Victoria), who argued for change and requested debate on the issue in 1999;[9] and Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year in 2009, who called for debate as to when Australia Day was held.

[66][page needed] Alan Kohler supported this proposal in his opinion piece published in The New Daily on 25 January 2023.

[69][21] In 2001, following comments made during a review into the future of Anzac Day,[70] the idea of a merger was strongly opposed by Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, who clarified his earlier position.

[75] The date has, at various times, found support from former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, Tony Beddison,[9] and Geoffrey Blainey.

[87] The Eureka Stockade on 3 December has had a long history as an alternative choice for Australia Day, having been proposed by The Bulletin in the 1880s.

Among Indigenous Australians, however, only 23% felt positive about Australia Day, 31% were negative and 30% had mixed feelings, with 54% favouring a change of date.

[94][95] A poll conducted by progressive public policy think tank The Australia Institute in 2018 found that 56% do not mind what day it is held.

The report includes demographic factors which affect people's response, such as age, level of education, and state or territory of residence.

[citation needed] Polling by Essential Media conducted each January since 2015 with the exclusion of 2018 suggests that the number of people celebrating Australia Day is declining, indicating a shift in attitudes.

[98] An IPA poll commissioned in December 2020 and published in January 2021 showed that support for changing the date had remained a minority position.

[104] However an Essential poll around the same time reported growing support for a change of date or an additional day of celebration for Indigenous Australians, at nearly 60%.