Why truth-telling matters on 26 January

It’s this time of year again, and the debate over how we mark 26 January feels stuck in a loop – officially, at least. But across Australia, especially among younger generations, the shift is already happening. More people are choosing mourning, truth-telling and solidarity over old-school beer and barbecues. 

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 this continent – the beginning of dispossession, violence and ongoing injustice. That legacy continues today. Hardly a cause for celebration. 

That’s why Verve 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 because listening, learning and taking action matters – especially when the systems many of us benefit from were never built for everyone. 

As a fund that centres women and gender-diverse people, we know this truth well: systems can look “neutral” while producing deeply unequal outcomes. Colonisation, like gender inequality, is structural, ongoing, and baked into the present. 

The government might have ruled out changing the date – for now – but people across Australia are finding different ways to mark it with care and respect. Many are choosing to work on 26 January and take a day off another time instead, rejecting business as usual in favour of something more honest. 

It’s pretty wild that 26 January is still so often framed as a national celebration. For First Nations communities, it’s a day of mourning. The harm that followed this date in 1788 continues to show up today through systemic inequality, injustice and intergenerational trauma. 

For women and gender-diverse people, these systems compound. Racism, sexism, transphobia and economic inequality don’t exist in silos – they stack. First Nations women and gender-diverse people continue to experience some of the deepest inequities in health, safety and economic security in this country. First Nations women have a life expectancy nearly 8 years shorter than non-indigenous women, higher preterm birth rates , higher levels of family violence, and many other disadvantages that show up at the intersection of racism and gender inequality. 

That’s why we choose to mark the day differently. Not to rewrite history – but to face it honestly, make space for truth, and commit to change. 

Clothing Tthe Gaps’ Not a Date to Celebrate campaign encourages people and workplaces to move away from ‘business as usual’ on 26 January. Instead, it’s about using the day to listen to First Nations voices, reflect on Australia’s history and present, and take meaningful action. 

There’s no single right way to mark 26 January. But there are ways to do it with intention. 

Allyship starts with listening. 
Seek out First Nations voices, writing, events and perspectives – particularly those led by First Nations women and gender-diverse people. Let the day be about learning, not celebration.  

Check out  this video podcast from Clothing The Gaps to get started.  

Reflect. 
Take time – individually or with your team – to reflect on what the date represents, and how colonisation continues to shape life, policy and power 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.  

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, 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? 

At Verve Super, we believe money and systems should work for people – not cause harm. Superannuation isn’t just about retirement balances. It helps shape the world we live in now: which industries grow, whose voices are amplified, and whose futures are prioritised. 

If we want a more equal future, it has to be 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 – whether based on race, gender or identity – isn’t sustainable. And that real progress requires listening, learning and acting, even when it feels uncomfortable. 

Many of our team choose to come to work on 26 January and/or spend the day supporting First Nations art, culture and enterprises. Not because it’s performative – but because values mean something when they show up in practice. 

People power change. And while no single action fixes a system, collective action builds the momentum we need for a fairer future – for women and gender-diverse people, and for everyone.