As a white male I cannot and should not try to speak for any of my Indigenous fellow Australians; hell, I often struggle to articulate my own thoughts and feelings and many of you know why. But despite so much, I love Australia. However, it's BECAUSE I love my country that I want her to progress and improve for all the world to see, and I don't believe we can fully do that while we maintain Australia Day on its current date.
Now, I acknowledge even with a date change that many Australians will likely still observe 26 January unofficially as Australia Day; that'd be their choice, too. And changing it certainly won't fix the contemporary plight of Indigenous Australians, especially in rural areas. Not fully, anyway. But as a reflection on what we've already achieved - from the 1967 referendum, to native title, to the parliamentary apology and efforts to bridge the life-expectancy gap - and all the activists, black AND white, who struggled in their fight for those milestones, it will let us send them a message, that their struggle was never in vain and that we are prepared to fight the rest of the way.
What new date should we adopt? I don't know. I don't even think any one stands out. But while history never changes, the perspective on it often does, and in this case it has changed dramatically. This argument reappears annually, and there's only one way to end that if you want to. But if it is ended, I hope it's ended out of a desire for national compassion and humanity, and a sincere expression of it not based on guilt or obligation. When that time comes, all Aussies will be able to finally celebrate EVERY day, together, as Australia Day.
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