New date for australia day?

Australian of the Year Mick Dodson says he is not fazed by the Prime Minister's refusal to discuss the possibility of changing the date for Australia Day...

But the Aboriginal Leader and academic has implored Kevin Rudd not to completely shut the door on the issue and warned the two may clash heads on other issues this year.

Professor Dodson wants a "national conversation" about changing the date of Australia Day because January 26th "isolates" indigenous people.

The Yawuru man says many Aborigines see the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 "as the day on which our world came crashing down".

However, at a citizenship ceremony in Canberra on Monday, Mr Rudd stared down Professor Dodson, who was sitting just metres away from the lectern, and said "no".

"To our indigenous leaders, and those who call for a Change to our national day, let me say a simple, respectful but straightforward no," the Prime Minister said.

"We are a free country and it is natural and right from time to time that there will be conversations about such important symbols for our nation.

"It is equally right as a free country that those of us charged with political leadership provide a straightforward response."

Professor Dodson, a tireless campaigner for indigenous rights, said he wasn't worried by the Prime Minister's tough stance.

"I'm not fazed at all by the Prime Minister's comments," he told reporters.

"I'm actually glad he's joined in the conversation.

"He has his point of view and everybody in this country is entitled to express their point of view."

But he stressed "let's not close the door to having a conversation about this".

Professor Dodson suggested he was willing to clash with the federal Government on other issues in his role as Australian of the Year.

"I'm going to talk to Australians about a lot of things this year."

And he hinted that a more appropriate date for Australia's national holiday to commemorate could be federation, January 1st, 1901.

"Let's remember that it was years and years before Australia became a nation state," Prof Dodson said.

"It (January 26th, 1788) was the landing of the First Fleet in the colony of NSW, it wasn't even Australia then."

While Mr Rudd might not have welcomed Professor Dodson's call, National Australia Day Council chairman Adam Gilchrist certainly did.

"What we look for in our leaders is inspiration and people to challenge us and you're certainly doing that," he told Prof Dodson at the citizenship ceremony.

Source: The Age