Scott Morrison has stressed the need to reconcile the arrival of the First Fleet with the contributions of indigenous people, after reopening debate about the date of Australia Day.
The prime minister ripped open a can of worms last week after suggesting there should be another national day to celebrate indigenous people and culture.
Mr Morrison quickly toned down his idea after copping backlash from some indigenous people, conservative colleagues and business groups alarmed at the prospect of another public holiday.
Australia Day is held on January 26 to mark the raising of the British flag in Sydney Cove.
Mr Morrison is now arguing there should be a separate opportunity - but not necessarily an additional day - to mark the contribution of indigenous people.
For many years his electorate of Cook, which marks the point of arrival of the First Fleet in Botany Bay, held a "meeting of two cultures" ceremony on April 29.
Mr Morrison said the occasion successfully managed to acknowledge 60,000 years of indigenous culture as well as the legacy of Captain James Cook.
"It is possible and frankly it's necessary for us to reconcile these two stories as a country," he told the ABC on Sunday.
"We can't do it separately. We've got to do it together. And that's why I'm open to ways that we can do that. But Australia Day is Australia Day and must always remain Australia Day."
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