yes, but don't anyone dare take away a public holiday FFS.
The flagwaving nationalist crap is ingrained in the psyche of every bogan.
Think of any time you have been overseas and happen to be in a pub on Jan 26th. Odds are that the place will be full of aussie bogans getting smashed, and covered in australian flag clothing or wearing a flag as a bogan superhero cape.
I'm inclined to lay blame for much of the behaviour you describe with Paul Hogan's "slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you" tourism compaign in the 80's and the success of Crocodile Dundee overseas. We were a backwater up until that point, when Australians abroad suddenly became celebrities and we've relished in it ever since. Agreed, it is cliché now and at also at odds with current sentiments toward Australia Day.
If as a nation we can't engage in constructive debate and overcome the stigma of Australia Day being a symbol for the poor treatment of First Nations Australians, then it won't matter what date it is. If we can't all be proud of our national identity then there's nothing to celebrate. Past injustices can't be undone, nor can those of us with colonial heritage live in perpetuity with the burden of guilt bestowed upon us by our predecessors. We need to look forward as
@mas2 suggests; focus on what unites us rather than divides us. The land is our shared identity; we all belong to this land, we're all equally Australian. A day that celebrates the country itself more than the people would bring us together more than some event or date that anchors us in our colonial past. It might help to remind us to take better care of this country too.
Having a separate, sombre national day of reflection isn't the answer either, as it risks opening old wounds, perpetuating divison, or simply eroding into a day just like Australia Day is now for many; a day off to get on the beers. Instead, our kids need to be taught an unbiased version of our history at school along with a core understanding of First Nations culture, so that future Australians don't need to be reminded once a year to respect each other, it's just part of our DNA.