University of Wollongong staff will be able to choose to work on January 26, as part of the institution's recognition that the day is not a celebration day for all Australians.
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In a move that is becoming increasingly common among large, socially conscious organisations, the university has told staff they can take the public holiday on a different date this year.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson said the decision was an important step in ensuring UOW staff's diverse perspectives are valued and respected.
"I am hopeful that 2023 will provide us with outcomes that unite all Australians through a referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Constitution," she said.
The "Change the Date" movement has been building in recent years, with many First Nations people calling for a national holiday on a day that doesn't represent the beginning of occupation on Aboriginal land.
January 26 marks the day that Captain Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at Sydney Cove and claimed the land as a British Colony.
In its announcement about the options to pick a substitute day for the public holiday, the university did not use the words Australia Day.
"The university's leadership acknowledged that January 26 is not a celebration day for all Australians, recognising the turbulent history around that date and the painful associations it may have for Indigenous communities," a statement from the university said.
"That's why, out of respect for all First Nations peoples, in January 2023, all fixed-term and permanent employees of the University will have the flexibility to work on 26 January instead of taking the day as a public holiday."
The university's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Sustainable Futures) Professor David Currow said leaving out the words Australia Day was "very deliberate", to acknowledge the diversity of views among the campus community.
"The university is committed to reconciliation with First Nations people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and we have an active reconciliation action plan that will advance reconciliation through education and research, so this is a reflection of a very practical thing we can do to respect the diversity of views held by staff," he said.
Prof Currow said he would personally be taking a public holiday on a different date this year, but said the university did not have an indication of how many other staff would choose that option.
"We do know from previous surveys of staff that reconciliation is highly regarded and there is genuine commitment across the university to build reconciliation now and into the future," he said.
People who choose to work on January 26 can select a substitute day for the holiday on either Friday January 27 or Monday January 30, allowing them to have a long weekend.
The change in working arrangements has been agreed to by the staff unions, the university said.
Similar arrangements are now in place at many large companies around Australia, with employees at Telstra, Woodside Energy, Deloitte, KPMG, Australian Ethical and BHP also able to work on January 26.
Wollongong and Shellharbour councils are also considering changes to the way they mark Australia Day, with both saying they will look to consult with the community ahead of the 2024 event.
However, events for the 2023 public holiday will remain the same as in previous years, the councils said.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
