The proposal of changing the date of
There has been increasing support for changing the date of Australia Day in acknowledgement of opposition from Indigenous groups, with many referring to it as Invasion Day or Survival Day.
It recognises that the history of Jan 26 is painful for First Nations' people, and marks the beginning of genocide and invasion. Change the Date advocates that 'Australia Day' should be for 'all Australians' and if we Change The Date, we can create an inclusive national holiday for all people in this country.
We believe that there are many days Australia's greatness can be celebrated and we are proposing May 8 because giving consideration to all Australians, and all the history of Australia will make Australia Day more inclusive, and Australia a greater Nation for it.
January 26 was only proclaimed a national holiday in 1994. May 9 has a much longer, more illustrious history. It is a date “made in Australia” and demonstrates our commitment to our democracy like no other day can. By May 9 2026, our parliament will have been in place for 125 years.
Support for changing the date is not universal among Indigenous people either. Some argue there are more meaningful things non-Indigenous Australians can do for First Nations people. Others say changing the date hides the wrongs of the past.
May 9 has very sound historical credentials that link our constitution and parliament. It was the date the first federal parliament met in the Exhibition Building in Melbourne in 1901.
Mrs Wharton-Kirke had seen the generosity of the Australian people during other fundraising days and saw an 'Australia Day' as a way of drawing on the pride of Australians in their soldiers' recent achievements at Gallipoli. 30 July 1915 was the date agreed upon, and events were held across all of Australia.
In the 1860s, Victoria became the first state to pass laws authorising Aboriginal children to be removed from their parents. Similar policies were later adopted by other states and territories – and by the federal government when it was established in the 1900s.
This Day in History: May 8
Following Germany's unconditional surrender, World War II in Europe officially ended at midnight on this day in 1945, although the war in the Pacific continued until the Japanese surrender in September. How much do you know about World War II? Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
In doing so, it ignores more than 65,000 years of pre-colonial history and 230 years of multicultural migration to Australia. By changing the date, Australia can show that it is ready to truly accept and include Indigenous Australian histories, cultures and contributions as a valued part of the Australian story.
Complete answer: "On the "180° longitude meridian," the date changes. It is an "imaginary line" on the surface of the earth that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole" and is also known as the "International Date Line" (IDL). The relationship between the dateline and the time in a day is defined by this line.
“The Federal Parliament has it in their power to lead change [and] most Australians will either embrace or accept a change if they are engaged in a conversation about why change is necessary and how it will shape and improve our nation going forward.”
“At Kmart, we do not sell any merchandise that is specific to Australia Day. However, customers who shop with us can find a number of products year-round that feature Australiana designs with Australian animals, flora and fauna, as well as educational materials.
Australia is made up of many different and distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, each with their own culture, language, beliefs and practices. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia, meaning they were here for thousands of years prior to colonisation.
With the doctrine of terra nullius in hand, 11 convict ships from Great Britain sailed into what's now Port Jackson in New South Wales on January 26, 1788. Shortly after their arrival, Captain Arthur Phillip made his way to the shore and raised the British flag claiming the land in the name of King George III.
Why were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children taken from their families? The forcible removal of First Nations children from their families was based on assimilation policies, which claimed that the lives of First Nations people would be improved if they became part of white society.
In 1969, New South Wales abolished the Aborigines Welfare Board, and this effectively resulted in all States and Territories having repealed legislation that allowed for the removal of Aboriginal children under a policy of 'protection'.
Today, Stolen Generations survivors live right across Australia. Most (73%) live in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
Australia Day is also referred to as 'Invasion Day' or 'Survival Day' particularly by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. This is because it 'celebrates' a painful part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history.
1920 – 1930. Before the 1920s, Aboriginal rights groups boycotted Australia Day (26 January) in protest against the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians. By the 1920s, they were increasingly aware that the broader Australian public were largely ignorant of the boycotts.
Held on July 30, the first Australia Day was directly shaped by the experience of the Gallipoli landing. It continued to be held in July for the remainder of the war. By 1935, the states all agreed to use the name Australia Day and celebrate it on January 26. But it was a decision that caused controversy and protest.
The First Fleet of British ships arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788 to establish a penal colony, the first colony on the Australian mainland. In the century that followed, the British established other colonies on the continent, and European explorers ventured into its interior.
The day was officially declared a public holiday by the Victorian government in 1879 and for decades the Eight Hour Day marches were the largest public celebrations that Victoria saw attracting tens of thousands of people with parades held in Melbourne and country towns throughout Victoria.
On the 27th May 1967, the people of Australia cast their votes for the referendum. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of changing the constitution with 90.77 per cent of voters responding with a YES.