Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland) (11:53): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator CHISHOLM: Labor will be opposing this motion. There is no doubt that Australia Day is an important national day. It's a source of great celebration for Australians, but we cannot shy away from the fact that for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 26 January can speak of dispossession and sorrow. On Australia Day, we should acknowledge that we owe our First Australians more than just a few brief words of respect. We are no different to any other country, in that our history has its fault lines. We have our share of triumphs and successes and our share of scars and stains. It is correct to acknowledge that we have had long decades of dispossession and degradation inflicted upon our First Australians by those who came after. We need to recognise the historical truth that our history is one we can be proud of, but also recognise its errors and mistakes. Labor does not support changing the date of Australia Day. The PRESIDENT: The question is that motion No. 694, standing in the names of Senators Siewert and Di Natale, be agreed to.