Is the 'Change the Date' movement gathering momentum?
Is the 'Change the Date' movement gathering momentum?
Normally I tune out to this annual debate since it feels so polarised and stale, but the messaging from Woolworths, Cricket Australia, the Australian Open and others this year suggests big companies are concerned about an attitude shift within Australian society. It seems they've decided the inevitable backlash is now worth it because the silent majority has begun leaning in favour of change.
Is this just a natural result of this being the first post-referendum Australia Day or is there a longer-term change unfolding here?
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@ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo I think 9 May, when federal parliament first met in 1901. It's the right year, and more convenient than 1 Jan.
@timrichards @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo isn't May problematic because of May/Labour Day in one of the states?
@timrichards @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo yeah, Queensland and NT.
@skribe @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo Could always be moved.
@timrichards @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo
Yeah, I can just imagine that meeting:
PM: Thanks for coming at short notice-
Q: Where are the other states?
NT: And territories!
PM: What do you mean?
Q: It’s just Queensland and Northern Territory.
NT: The largest territory!
PM: Yeah. I was getting to that. As you know, we’re changing the date for Australia Day.
Q: We are?
PM: Yeah. 26th January is no longer popular. Some people are even calling it Invasion Day.
Q: Why?
PM: Um, something about Captain Cook. I don’t really know, but we’re changing the date. However, there’s a problem. You know how you both have public holidays in early May? We need you to change them.
Q: Why?
PM: Because we’ve decided to make Australia Day coincide with when Parliament first met.
Q: And?
PM: You probably don’t want two consecutive long weekends.
Q: It works for Chrissie and New Year.
PM: Yeah, but everyone is on holiday then anyway.
NT: When did Parliament first meet?
PM: 9th May.
NT: What year?
PM: 1901.
NT: But it’s 2024.
Q: So where do you want us to move them to?
PM: Early march seems popular.
NT: You want us to have May Day in March?
Q: Ok.
PM: Ok?
Q: We’ll do it. But we’re going to need some sweeteners.
PM: Sweeteners?
Q: We’re moving Labour Day. We’re a Labor government. You’re a Labor government. We’ve got to appeal to working people.
PM: What did you have in mind?
Q: AFL Grand Final.
PM: I’m sure we can arrange some-
Q: Every year.
PM: Queenslanders don’t even like AFL much.
Q: I feel that could get a real taste for it.
PM: The Gabba only holds, what, forty thousand people?
Q: Forty-two thousand, Prime Minister. But, I’m sure with some federal funding we could expand it to at least...a hundred thousand.
PM: A hundred thousand? The one and only time the Gabba hosted the AFL grand final you didn’t even draw thirty thousand.
Q: It was 2020. Those are COVID numbers. Plus in Queensland, we’re nothing if we’re not aspirational.
PM: Alright. The AFL Grand Final-
Q: And all three of the State of Origin matches.
PM: Come on-!
Q: And you know that deal that WA is getting with the GST? We want that too. And Ricky Ponting, he’s now a Queenslander and always has been.
PM: What about Boonie?
Q: Who?
PM: Was there anything else you want to steal? From South Australia maybe?
Q: They no longer have the F1, do they?
PM: Nope.
Q: Then, they’ve got nothing worth stealing.
PM: Northern Territory, what about you?
NT: We want to become a state.
PM: Good to he-
NT: With twelve senators, like the other states.
PM: Queensland, would you settle for hosting the Grand Final every second year?
And of course ACT has Reconciliation Day on the 27th May. Good luck moving that too.
@timrichards @skribe @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo I kinda like March 3; only moves it by about a week and is significant as noted here: https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-celebrate-australia-day-on-march-3-the-day-we-became-a-fully-independent-country-221015
@whybird @timrichards @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo it's going to face the same issue as May 9th. It conflicts with state public holidays - Labour Day in both WA and Vic. I can't see either state agreeing to changing. Is there a federally significant date in July? That's mostly free and doesn't conflict with the footy finals.
@skribe @timrichards @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo There’s this, but surely there might be something better: https://www.onthisday.com/date/1814/july/17
Edit: that would be less divisive that this one though: https://www.onthisday.com/date/1900/july/9
@whybird @skribe @ajsadauskas @eatham @unionagainstdhmo As someone said the other day - let's go for the existing Wattle Day on 1 September!