Aussie music great John Williamson has weighed into the Australia Day debate, saying we should keep the date but change the flag.

The 73-year-old has spoken out ahead of the Tamworth Country Music Festival where he is nominated for four golden guitars.

“I’m going to be asked a lot about it I think this year,” he tells Steve Price.

“It really was an invasion but some country was always going to come here.

“It was never going to remain just an Aboriginal country and I think really it could have been worse.”

The True Blue singer is famed for his songs about Australia and says we should embrace our nation and its history.

“To not celebrate the landing of Europeans in Australia is like denying that it happened.

“It’s Australia now and I think we should concentrate as all thinking of ourselves as Australian and not be separate.

“I’d like to see a flag that represents both the indigenous people and the rest of us.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview

Williamson is nominated for four Golden Guitars this year for traditional country album of the year, male artist of the year, bush ballad of the year and heritage song of the year.

His 20th studio album Butcherbird is out now.