Now, more than ever, our community needs gentleness. We need compassion, kindness and the courage to sit together in respectful conversation. Around the world we are seeing politics harden, divisions deepen and hateful language spread faster than truth. We cannot let that become who we are.
January 26 is one of the clearest reminders that we all carry different histories. For some, it is a day of pride and celebration. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it marks the beginning of profound loss — of land, of family, of culture and of safety. It is a day that holds deep pain and grief.
And for many of us who stood alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during the Voice to Parliament referendum, the pain of that moment still lingers. The debate was harsh, deeply politicised and often dehumanising. The result was heartbreaking. But it did not erase the hope, the solidarity or the fact that 580,000 Western Australians voted Yes. That matters. It still matters.
I was bitterly disappointed by the outcome. But I have been encouraged to see Aboriginal leaders and communities beginning to regroup, to rebuild and to continue the long journey toward recognition and justice. And they have asked something simple of us: to keep showing up. To keep being allies. To keep having the conversations that move us forward, not apart.
For me, that means talking with my own family, friends and neighbours about the intent of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and why changing the date is so important to unify us as a nation. It means listening with patience, answering questions with honesty and gently correcting misinformation when it appears. It means helping people understand that constitutional reform, self‑determination and even changing the date are not acts of division. They are acts of healing.
As Scientia Professor Dr Megan Davis AC FAHA FASSA FAAL FAIIA, Cobble Cobble woman and constitutional lawyer, has said, this work is about bringing Aboriginal identity and Australian identity closer together, not pulling them apart.
As we approach January 26, I encourage you to join me in being an active ally. Lean into conversations about the significance of this day. Share the history that many Australians have never been taught: that it was only in 1946 that governments agreed to unify celebrations on January 26 and only in 1994 that that January 26 became a fixed date for a national public holiday. Before 1994 the actual public holiday would move to ensure we all got a long weekend. The ways we recognise our nation have always evolved – and can continue to evolve.
Let’s not shy away from difficult truths. Let’s choose respect over silence. Let’s choose listening over defensiveness. Our community is stronger when we walk gently with one another.
Many allies choose to work on January 26 as an act of reflection and respect. That is one meaningful way to show support. There are many others, like attending local events, sharing resources, checking in with Aboriginal colleagues and friends or simply holding space for conversations that matter.
Reconciliation WA has excellent resources, tools and videos to help guide these conversations. I encourage you to use them, share them and keep the dialogue alive.
This is a moment to stand up again. To show that our support didn’t end with the referendum. To show that we are still here, still listening, still walking together.
Because a more united, honest and compassionate Australia is something we build — one conversation, one act of courage, one moment of solidarity at a time.