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A call for a national conversation on Australia Day - Australian Unity

Australia Day

A call for national conversation

The history of Australia Day is intrinsically linked with the history of Australian Unity. The Australian Natives’ Association (ANA), one of Australian Unity’s predecessor organisations, lobbied with other parties for the creation of a national day. On 26 January 1888, Australia Day was first celebrated as Foundation Day. In the context of Australian Unity’s particular history and involvement with Australia Day, we are considering our responsibility to lobby once again on this front.

In 2016 we initiated a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to help build stronger relationships and opportunities for, and with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As part of this plan we are now calling for a national conversation on whether the current date of 26 January should be changed to one more inclusive and respectful to all Australians.

Read our Reconciliation Action Plan to learn more.

Australia Day Breakfast

Our Australia Day Breakfast is a company tradition dating back more than 50 years. Each year, a public figure presents guests at the breakfast with an Australia Day address.

Invitees include dignitaries, Members of Parliament and prominent business people from across Victoria. In recent years, we have decided to move the breakfast to a date adjacent to 26 January to respect the wishes of our Indigenous peoples’ request to change the date.

Listed speakers and links

2020
Mr Ziggy Switkowski AO, delivering his vision for the future of Australian ingenuity and technological advancement.

2019
Lee Lin Chin, described as one of the greatest in Australian broadcasting history speaking on what it means to be Australian.

2018
Maryanne Diamond AO, internationally recognized for her work in advocating for people with disabilities speaking on the dignity of risk.

2017
The Hon Ian Macfarlane, former Federal Resources and Energy Minister. “Why I changed my mind about the date of when we should celebrate Australia Day"

2016
Mr Ian Harper, Economist. “An economic view of Australian history”

2015
Ms Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia speaking on “The state of business”.

2014
Mr Nyunggai Warren Mundine, Executive Chairman of the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce. What does reconciliation mean?

2013
Dr Ian Watt AO, former Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet speaking on the evolution of Australia Day

2012
Professor the Hon. Gareth Evans AO QC, Chancellor, Australian National University Professional Fellow, University of Melbourne. Australia’s distinctive presence in the world, and why winning a security council seat matters

2011
Hon Chief Justic Marilyn Warren AC Supreme Court of Victoria. Celebrating justice

2010
Professor Margaret Gardner AO, Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT University. What it means to become a citizen

2009
Hon. Lindsay Tanner, Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation. The outlook for Australia in the face of the global financial crisis.

2008
Professor Geoffrey Blainey, AC. The history of Australia Day and what it means to Australians. Unfortunately a copy of the speech is unavailable.

2007
Professor Glyn Davis, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Melbourne. Unlikely heroes to celebrate on Australia Day

2006
John Bell, founder and artistic director of The Bell Shakespeare Company. Defining the Australian identity and what it means to be Australian.

2005
Li Cunxin, Artistic director of Queensland Ballet and known as ‘Maos Last Dancer’ since the release of his autobiography and movie of the same name. What Australia Day means to me, celebrate Australian achievements, Australian spirit and how we can help the less fortunate around the world.

2004
Hon John Harber Phillips AC QC, Chief Justice of Victoria. The 150th anniversary of the Eureka stockade and the place it holds in Australia’s history.

2001
Sir Gustav Nossal, research biologist and Australian of the Year 2000. The Centenary of Federation year and a vision of the 21st Century as a Knowledge Century