Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has labelled celebrations on January 26 a “joke” and is calling for Australia Day be moved to January 1.

He is demanding believes “some meaningful give and take by all” is needed to “build trust and respect inside all communities”.

In an opinion piece published today in the Herald Sun¸ Kennett points to the most recent tragedy of four young indigenous girls, all 15 years and younger, who took their own lives, which he believes is in party “the failure of the non-indigenous community.”

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett wants Australia moved to January 1. (9News)

He cites US, France, Germany, Japan and China as examples whose national celebration days do not commemorate the colonisation of First Peoples.

His comments see him splitting ranks with the Liberal party who continue to support the existing holiday.

Scott Morrison last year rejected calls to move Australia day, instead suggesting a new national day to celebrate Australia’s Indigenous heritage.

Earlier this month he doubled down on his efforts to lock in January 26 as the national day, warning local councils they would be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia day.

A growing number of Melbourne councils have chosen to drop citizen ceremonies on January 26 with Moreland City Council joining Yarra and Darebin councils in September last year.

Kennett, premier between 1993 and 1999, says New Year’s Day would be better because it is the day the Commonwealth of Australian came into being in 1901 and would be a great addition to the existing January 1 celebrations.

Australian Day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in Port Jackson under the command of Commodore Arthur Phillip on January 26, 1788.

Debate over the current date has increased in intensity over recent years, with some Victorian councils choosing to abstain from citizenship ceremonies out of respect their Indigenous communities.

The outspoken former leader of the Liberal party goes against his parties stance on Australia Day. (AAP)