Change the date of Australia Day: Warren Mundine

“Indigenous people overwhelmingly feel anger, sadness and grief about the chain of events beginning on January 26, 1788,” he wrote in a Daily Telegraph opinion piece in 2017.

“That was when our ancestors began losing their lands and their ability to speak their languages, practise ceremony and live under their kinship systems.

“For as long as I can remember, Indigenous people have referred to January 26 as ‘Invasion Day’. More recently we’ve also used the term ‘Survival Day’, to commemorate our achievements and survival of our nations against the odds.”

He said Australia’s independence, identity and nationhood should move to a day “everyone can unite behind”.

But opponents of the Voice, including Liberal and Nationals MPs, have raised fears the Voice would seek to change the date or cancel Australia Day celebrations.

In the official No case essay sent to voters ahead of the October 14 referendum, Coalition MPs warned: “many activists are campaigning to abolish Australia Day, change our flag and other institutions and symbols important to Australians”.

Mr Mundine is considered a frontrunner to replace retiring former foreign minister Marise Payne in the Senate. Asked about the Liberal preselection process for the looming vacancy this week, he said he was focused on defeating the Voice referendum.

Mr Mundine told the Financial Review he had been consistent in opposing January 26, but said he would not support losing a summer public holiday.

“That was me tossing my hat into the arguments about Australia Day and the problems with Australia Day,” he said.

He said he expected the ongoing debate about January 26 would be on the agenda for the Voice, and said suggestions otherwise would be “like living in fantasy world”.

Mr Mundine has also previously supported treaties with local Indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney have rejected suggestions the Voice would focus on Australia Day, arguing it would have more serious priorities to end entrenched Indigenous disadvantage.

No campaign figures and opposition MPs have sought to weaponise comments and writing by Voice advocates in recent weeks, including Indigenous academic Marcia Langton and campaigners Megan Davis and Thomas Mayo.

Mr Mundine’s fellow No campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said on Thursday that the colonisation of Australia had had a positive impact on Indigenous people.

The Country Liberal senator and opposition Indigenous affairs spokeswoman dismissed concerns about intergenerational trauma suffered by Indigenous Australians.