Imagine, if you will, being part of an ancient people who, for untold generations, had lived successfully as hunters and gatherers on a large continent. You have a fundamental relationship to the land, complex religious beliefs and a sufficient technology to thrive for over 40,000 years, unimpeded.

One day, a fleet of ships arrives at a harbour on your continent. It bears soldiers and prisoners from a distant land that you have never heard of and have no relationship with. That same foreign land had earlier proclaimed your territory as "terra nullius" - nobody's land (effectively uninhabited) and begins to establish colonies. Settlers spread inland, battles and massacres ensue and your people are decimated and subdued - colonised.

That day was January 26th, 1788. The same day is now a national day of celebration, Australia Day. It does not take a genius to work out that this is likely to be a point of contention. How can one strive for a day of unity, when the First Peoples are necessarily, if unintentionally, excluded.

There are 365 days in the year and some, like Easter, Christmas and Anzac Day, are already taken. Even so, there are several hundred others that might be reasonably settled on as a national day. I am not a black-armbander - I see plenty of good in Australia, but this one is surely a no-brainer.