A series of letters sent to Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion have called on the government to change the date of Australia Day, despite Mr Scullion's claims that he has never been approached by an Indigenous person regarding the matter.
The letters, obtained by ABC News under Freedom of Information legislation and addressed to Senator Scullion and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, suggest different dates for celebration.
"Without doubt, the existing date conjures up memories of a colonial power's arrival in Australia and the cruel actions of that colonial government against the Indigenous people," wrote one letter, sent last week.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion. Source: AAP
"Who would want to be reminded of that, let alone want to celebrate all that?"
In January last year, Mr Scullion said changing the date had never come up as an issue, but the cache of letters stretch back to 2014. None of the authors identified themselves as Indigenous.
One letter, stamped as received on January 17, 2018, said that changing the date to January 1 is a "no-brainer" - just two days before Mr Scullion said he had never been approached.
Another letter dated December 5, 2016, proposes the third Monday in February as "it has no links to any controversial event" and "retains a summer celebration" amongst other reasons.
"For EVERYONE in Australia to celebrate the day, why not make it the day of the referendum [to include Aboriginal people in the population] - 27 May 2967," wrote another on May 17, 2014.
A letter from a young girl was among those sent to Nigel Scullion regarding the date of Australia Day. Source: Supplied
"It's like celebrating because we killed lots and lots of Aboriginal people," it read.
But not all the letters were in support of changing the date.
"Australia Day should remain as is because it is the beginning of an everlasting union of all Australians," read one letter, sent to Mr Turnbull in August 2017.
"It is time for all Indigenous people to take a spoonful of cement, harden up and to get over what happened 229 years ago and stop playing the victim," wrote another that year.
The current date of Australia Day marks the official declaration of British sovereignty on the land that would become Australia and is considered a day of mourning for many Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
The current date, January 26, has only been formally recognised as a national public holiday since 1994.
Mr Scullion's office has been approached for comment.
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