Change the Date?

Australia Day, Reconciliation and the Politics of Division

This project explores the experiences, values and stories that shape how Australians understand identity, belonging and their place in a shared future. The research examines how national conversations influence public understanding and how greater insight into both our differences and common ground might contribute to a stronger, more connected Australia.

This research is funded by the Australian Research Council under the Discovery Indigenous program, project IN260100178. The views expressed herein are those of the Research team and are not necessarily those of the Australian Research Council nor the Australian Government.

Research AIms

Team

Change The Date? Australia Day, Reconciliation and the Politics of Division

RESEARCH AIMS

This project explores how Australians make sense of identity, belonging and our shared future. It examines the stories, experiences and ideas that shape public conversations about who we are, how we relate to one another, and how a diverse society navigates complex questions about history, community and national identity.

Drawing on Indigenous knowledge, community perspectives and interdisciplinary research, the project aims to generate new insights, practical resources and opportunities for reflection that support constructive dialogue, deeper understanding and a stronger sense of connection across Australian communities.

RQ1: How do polarising debates emerge and how are they resolved (if at all)?

This will be addressed through a mapping of media and political narratives of (mis)information about First Peoples and Australian identity (C1) and ethnographic case studies of local councils and the Australia Day debates (C2).

RQ2: What are public views on Australian national identity and how are these views being shaped?

This will be addressed through a nationally representative survey of individuals to measure narrative salience and impact on polarised attitudes (C3). It will analyse what these views mean in relation to relevant political theories of the state, sovereignty, liberal democracy and indigenous rights of self-determination.

RQ3: How can we develop a shared and inclusive national understanding of what it is to be Australian?

This will be addressed through a collaborative narrative survey to understand how intervention narratives can reduce polarisation (C4) and the development of a toolkit for grassroots engagement about national identity and reconciliation, applying an Indigenous community yarning methodology (C5).

An Indigenous-Led Approach to Understanding and Shared Learning

This project brings together Indigenous methodologies, community perspectives and interdisciplinary research approaches to explore how Australians understand identity, belonging and national community.

Through the analysis of public conversations, local experiences, community perspectives and collaborative dialogue, the research seeks to better understand how people make sense of issues that shape Australia's future. An Indigenous approach informs the work throughout, recognising the importance of relationship, listening, story, lived experience and respectful exchange as pathways to deeper understanding.

The project combines several complementary methods to explore how public narratives emerge, how they influence attitudes and experiences, how communities navigate difficult conversations, and how people from diverse backgrounds understand what it means to belong in Australia.

Importantly, the project is designed to create opportunities for learning in both directions. Rather than assuming what communities need to know, it seeks to understand what people are curious about, what questions they are asking, what knowledge they value, and what helps them feel more confident engaging with complex issues that affect their lives and communities.

Insights from participants, community organisations and stakeholders will help inform the co-design of accessible educational resources, conversation tools and community learning materials. These outputs will build on strengths, shared experiences and existing knowledge, while creating opportunities to explore histories, perspectives and stories that may not always be visible in mainstream discussions.

The aim is not simply to generate research findings, but to support learning, understanding and the development of practical resources that help people engage more confidently, thoughtfully and constructively with one another and with Australia's evolving national story.

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Research Team