The Australian Council of Trade Unions has broken ranks with the Albanese government by calling for a new national Indigenous representative body and urging Australia to reconsider the date of Australia Day, reopening two of the country’s most divisive political debates.

The union movement’s intervention is significant because it comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repeatedly indicated his government would not revisit the Indigenous Voice proposal following the unsuccessful 2023 referendum. Instead, Labor has said its focus has shifted towards practical measures aimed at improving outcomes for First Nations communities.

In a submission to a federal parliamentary inquiry examining racism against First Nations Australians, the ACTU argued that Australia should establish a permanent national Indigenous representative body. According to the submission, such a body could be created through legislation, constitutional change or another agreed framework that allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to provide ongoing advice on policies affecting them.

The submission also renewed calls to move Australia Day from January 26. The ACTU argued that the current date continues to be viewed by many Indigenous Australians as a symbol of dispossession and colonisation rather than a day of national unity. It said reconsidering the date should form part of broader efforts aimed at reconciliation and reducing structural racism.

The position places the union movement at odds with the Albanese government on two high-profile issues. Since the Voice referendum was defeated, the Prime Minister has repeatedly said his government respects the outcome and has no plans to pursue another referendum on the proposal. Albanese has also consistently ruled out changing the date of Australia Day.

The ACTU’s submission argues that the absence of a permanent Indigenous advisory body contributes to poorer policy outcomes because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities do not have a consistent mechanism for influencing national decision-making. The organisation also linked issues such as health, education, employment and housing to broader discussions about structural inequality.

The recommendations extend beyond the Voice debate. The union body also called for greater cultural education, stronger anti-racism measures and continued work towards truth-telling and treaty processes, reflecting principles that were originally outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Not everyone supports the ACTU’s position. Opposition figures argued that Australians had already expressed their view during the 2023 referendum and said national attention should instead focus on practical initiatives that improve living conditions in Indigenous communities rather than reopening constitutional or symbolic debates.

The renewed discussion also arrives at a politically sensitive time. Questions surrounding national identity, reconciliation and Australia Day continue to generate strong opinions across the country, while Indigenous policy remains an area where major political parties and advocacy groups often disagree about the best path forward.

For the Albanese government, the ACTU’s submission does not represent official government policy. However, it highlights that influential organisations within the broader Labor movement continue to advocate for measures that the federal government has chosen not to pursue since the referendum result. Whether those proposals gain wider political support in the future remains uncertain, but the submission has ensured that debate over the Voice and Australia Day has once again returned to the national spotlight.