26 January – not a date to celebrate
It’s this time of year again, and the debate over how we mark 26 January has made little progress – officially, at least. But younger people across Australia are increasingly acknowledging a day of mourning and solidarity rather than old-school beer and barbecue.
From the Torres Strait Islands to Palawa Country, from the western isles of the Malgana people to Bundjalung Country, 26 January marks Invasion Day for many First Nations peoples and cultures across the continent – the beginning of dispossession, violence and ongoing injustice. Hardly a cause for celebration.
That’s why Future Super stands in support of the Not a Date to Celebrate campaign, led by First Nations social enterprise Clothing the Gaps, co-founded in 2014 by Gunditjmara woman Laura Thompson and her non-Indigenous business partner Sarah Sheridan. We’ve formally signed on to the campaign because listening, learning and taking action matters – especially when the systems we benefit from haven’t always worked for everyone.
The government might have ruled out changing the date – for now – but people across Australia are finding different ways to mark the date with respect, many choosing to work and enjoy a day off another time instead.
Why it's not a date to celebrate
It’s pretty wild that 26 January is still all too often framed as a national celebration. For many First Nations communities, it’s a day of mourning. The harm that followed this date in 1788 continues to show up today in systemic inequality, injustice and intergenerational trauma.
More and more people across Australia are choosing to mark the day differently. Not to rewrite history – but to face it honestly and to create space for truth, respect and change.
How to mark 26 January
Clothing The Gaps’ campaign, Not a Date to Celebrate, encourages people and workplaces to move away from ‘business as usual’ on 26 January and instead use the day to listen to First Nations voices, reflect on Australia’s history and present, or take meaningful action. There’s no single right way to mark 26 January, but there are ways to do it with respect and intention.
Allyship starts with listening. Seek out First Nations voices, writing, events and perspectives. Let the day be one of learning rather than celebration.
Try this video podcast from Clothing The Gaps to get started.
Reflect. Take time – individually or with your work team – to reflect on what the date represents, and how the impacts of colonisation still shape life in Australia today.
Take action. Even small actions can help shift norms and open conversations. Not sure where to start? Here are two practical ways to support this campaign:
Sign and share the Not a Date to Celebrate petition
Ask your employer about swapping the public holiday to another date that’s more inclusive.
Changing the date to celebrate
At the heart of the debate around January 26 is the option to switch to another date. The debate’s been raging since 1938, ever since William Coopers declared Jan 26 as a day of mourning. And it’s been building momentum ever since.
“Australia is the only country in the world that has its national holiday on the day it was colonised and invaded,” says Laura. “It’s disrespectful and needs to change.
“One idea gaining traction is the idea of an Australian Long Weekend. It’s a small but meaningful shift. Instead of marking Australia Day on January 26, the public holiday could move to the second-last Monday in January each year.”
Not a huge change at all, but because it would never land on 26th it’s stigma-free and always gets you a long weekend. Because who loves a Monday anyway, right?
Why this matters to Future Super
At Future Super we believe money and systems should work for people – not cause harm. Superannuation helps shape the world we live in. It influences which industries grow, which voices are heard, and whose futures are prioritised. If we want a future worth retiring into, it has to be one that’s fair, inclusive and honest about its past.
Standing with Not a Date to Celebrate is part of that commitment. It’s about recognising that inequality isn’t sustainable, and that real progress means listening, learning and acting – even if it feels new or uncomfortable. Many of our staff choose to work on 26 January and / or spend the day supporting First Nations art, culture and enterprises.
People are what power change, and we understand that even small individual actions help build the groundswell we need to create a fairer future for everyone.