Is the date they are moving it to of some other historical importance or just a random date? Asking because if I were Australian I'd want it to still be a date that matters. Like say, when you received independence from Britain or something.
@smjjames - my immediate thought was that it was more like Columbus Day.
There's no federal movement, so far as I know. Most movements to change the date are at council level, and generally only in Greens areas (read: inner melbourne seats like Yarra or areas like Melbourne Ports.)
Australians as a whole are somewhat against changing it.
According to a Guardian Essential poll: 26% were for changing the date
54% were opposed, including 38% strongly opposed to overhauling the day at all to include something like remembrance.
70% of respondents stated that they "believed everyone could celebrate on that day"
and 18% stating that not everyone is likely to celebrate (eg, anglo-australians and migrants celebrating the nation's birth and growth, vs aboriginals who see 26/01 as the date they lost their land.)
Those most concerned with leaving Australia Day on 26th or not, were Greens voters (40% of respondents) or university-educated (25% of respondents.)
29% of respondents approved of editing inscriptions on public statues and memorials to incorporate the split in history; while it is a happy day for the majority of the country, it is a mournful day for aboriginals.
42% disapproved.
Respondents most likely to approve of "updating the historical record" were Greens voters (43%), Labor voters (39%), and voters aged 18-34 (39%.)
Those respondents most likely to disapprove of any changes were, surprise surprise, Liberal National voters, "people intending to vote for groups other than the major parties" (ie. those voting for Pauline Hanson or other lunatic fringe parties), and older voters.
In my opinion, there are few candidate days to move it to. I'd be perfectly happy with incorporating changes to the historical record or public memorials in remembrance of past atrocities, and the fact that it wasn't terra nullius when it was settled by Europeans. I don't think it should be moved, but it's entirely possible to have a day with both a celebration and a memorial.
Something like what we do on Remembrance Day could be entirely viable, a minute's silence and reflection. (Disclosure: I am generally a Labor voter, am university educated, and am aged 18-34 (25).)