NSW Premier Chris Minns has urged Cricket Australia to "revisit" its decision not to commemorate Australia Day during the Gabba Test in Brisbane on January 26.
The sporting body said there would be no reference to the national day at this Friday's test match between Australia and the West Indies, but instead an "acknowledgement" by the ground announcer that the day holds different meaning to different Australians.
The decision was made after consultation with Cricket Australia's Indigenous advisory board (NATSICAC) and follows the lead of the Australian Open which signalled it would not hold Australia Day celebrations for the second year in a row.Speaking to 2GB's Ben Fordham today, Minns said the decision was "extremely strange".
"They should mention it," Minns said.
"This is a day for us all to celebrate with family and friends and recognise that we live in the greatest country on earth - I'll definitely be doing that.
"This is a day that we need to come together as a nation so I think they should reconsider their decision."
The decision joins the ranks of corporate Australia, as companies move to provide flexibility around how different people mark the January 26 public holiday.
Most recently, big four bank ANZ joined Westpac, Commbank and NAB, in allowing employees to choose whether to swap the public holiday for another day off in its latest bargaining agreement.
Woolworths and Coles have also offered staff the option to choose whether they want to work on that day.
Telstra, Deloitte and finance firm KPMG are among other companies to have initiated similar schemes.
January 26 was made a public holiday in 1994.
Though for many Australia Day means a welcomed day off from work and a chance to celebrate with family and friends, the date is observed as a day of mourning for many First Nations people.
Invasion Day rallies have significantly gathered steam in recent years, with protests around the country attended by tens of thousands of Aussies.
Pat Cummins has called for a change to the date of Australia Day, backing the decision not to use the term in marketing for the Brisbane Test.
Key points:
Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins has called for a change to the date of Australia Day
Cummins has also backed Cricket Australia's decision not to use the term "Australia Day" in marketing for the Brisbane Test
CA CEO Nick Hockley was grilled about the issue on Sydney radio on Tuesday morning
Cricket Australia (CA) has chosen not to brand this week's second Test against West Indies "the Australia Day match" or use the term at the Gabba on day two on January 26.
The organisation's long-held position came under fire this week, with CEO Nick Hockley enduring a grilling on Sydney radio on Tuesday morning.
Test captain Cummins has backed the decision, and in turn become the highest-profile sporting star in the nation to push for a different date to mark Australia's national day.
"I absolutely love Australia. It is the best country in the world by a mile," Cummins said.
"We should have an Australia Day, but we can probably find a more appropriate day to celebrate it.
"Once you start realising January 26 and why it is chosen, Australia Day is meant to be a celebration of everything Australia and our history.
"[So] we could choose a better date."
CA dropped the term Australia Day from its marketing in 2021, when some Big Bash League teams wore Indigenous strips for games played on January 26.
A women's international was shifted to the date last year, prompting Indigenous woman and Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner to speak out on the matter.
Sáncte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in proélio, cóntra nequítiam et insídias diáboli ésto præsídium.
