this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2024
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Is the 'Change the Date' movement gathering momentum? (aussie.zone)
submitted 11 months ago by Ilandar@aussie.zone to c/australia@aussie.zone
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Normally I tune out to this annual debate since it feels so polarised and stale, but the messaging from Woolworths, Cricket Australia, the Australian Open and others this year suggests big companies are concerned about an attitude shift within Australian society. It seems they've decided the inevitable backlash is now worth it because the silent majority has begun leaning in favour of change.

Is this just a natural result of this being the first post-referendum Australia Day or is there a longer-term change unfolding here?

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[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 8 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Eh I feel it’s more most people just don’t care about Australia Day.

We’re more concerned about having a day off than celebrating someone landing in Sydney.

[–] trk@aussie.zone 8 points 11 months ago

That's me. Couldn't give a toss about the reason behind it, so do whatever you like. Just make sure we get to keep the day off and I'm down for whatever.

[–] ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That's part of it, but it's not the end of it. If that were all it was, then Woolworths, Cricket Australia etc, wouldn't be actively avoiding it

[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Well if less people care for it, those companies would also have less reason to do it, no?

Chief executive Brad Banducci told Today that a declining demand in sales of the merchandise was behind the move.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/woolworths-boss-defends-decision-on-stocking-australia-day-merchandise/b0e75afc-6b06-47c1-b817-36c1ab57e42d

[–] ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 11 months ago

They don't want to get caught in the middle. If it were just declining sales, they'd gradually fade it out.

But they don't want turn off people who are upset by it, and they're not invested in selling it, especially given declining sales, so they silently remove it in one go. Then when they get caught up in the middle of it anyway, they claim it's just declining sales, because literally anything else will make them the centre of a news cycle about a topic they're trying to stay out of

[–] Ilandar@aussie.zone 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

In the case of Woolworths, yes, but I'm not sure rising ambivalence is the reason why sporting events are avoiding it. In this situation, outcry following change is generally louder than outcry for change so it would make more sense to just proceed as usual if ambivalence was actually the consideration here. Either way, diminishing support for Australia Day will only strengthen the cause of its detractors.