Was it too much to hope that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's call for a new day to recognise Indigenous Australians would open the door to a mature and respectful debate about the day, and Australia Day, in the community?
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It would seem so.
On Monday the new prime minister said he wanted a new day in the Australian calendar, not necessarily a public holiday, to remember our "deep scars ... in relation to the treatment and experience of Indigenous Australians".
While the announcement was vague, and has been criticised for a lack of consultation with First Australians, Mr Morrison said he was committed to listening to Indigenous Australians on what they wanted.
It's "a good discussion to have," the new prime minister said.
At the same time though, the prime minister stripped a NSW local council of the right to hold citizenship ceremonies because it opposed marking Australia Day on January 26. Refusing to hold ceremonies on the day is "indulgent self-loathing," according to Mr Morrison.
"I'm happy to have a consultation about [the date of a new day of recognition], talk to the states and territories, Indigenous communities, hear back from Australians," the PM said on morning television.
"But you don't have to tear down one group to raise up another and that’s something I feel very strongly about that. We can recognise the contributions of all Australians from our first to our most recent."
Statements about "indulgent self-loathing" mean the PM's plan for a conversation around a new national day are hamstrung before they even begin.
It didn't help that the government's envoy on Indigenous Affairs, Tony Abbott, Does not seem to be on board with the idea. The former prime minister said he wouldn't back the idea until he saw detail, and said the focus should instead be on uniting behind Australia Day.
At the same time Mr Morrison said he wanted to hear from First Australians, he has consistently rebuffed their loud and consistent calls, and on Wednesday said he would not support the Uluru Statement from the Heart's call for an Indigenous voice to parliament.
He suggested it would be a "third chamber" of parliament and that it wouldn't be a workable proposal.
Indigenous Australians, and the wider community, would therefore be forgiven for wondering if the call for a new national day was little more than tokenism.
When the ACT marked its first Reconciliation Day public holiday this year, local Indigenous leaders called for us to reflect on the current barriers and discrimination faced by Indigenous Australians, in a bid to ensure the day wasn't tokenistic.
The prime minister would do well to listen to Indigenous Australians – not only on how and on what days they are recognised formally – but on issues around representation, the high rates of Indigenous incarceration and the continued gap in life expectancy.
Mr Morrison has been in the top job for just over a month, and the community can only hope that he will continue to listen and hopefully raise the tone of debate in this area.
