New Research Shows Opposition to Changing Australia Day Date Is Becoming More Entrenched
Survey data indicates stronger convictions among Australians against moving January 26 as public sentiment hardens around preserving the national day
Recent research into public attitudes toward Australia Day suggests that resistance to moving the national holiday from January 26 is not diminishing but instead becoming more pronounced, with a growing number of Australians strongly opposed to changing the date.
Analysis from the Deakin Contemporary History Survey shows that while the overall balance of opinion between supporters of the current date and advocates for change remains relatively stable, the intensity of opposition among those who want to retain January 26 has increased significantly in recent years.
The latest findings indicate that a rising proportion of respondents now ‘‘strongly disagree’’ with the idea of celebrating Australia Day on a different date, reflecting a hardening of views rather than a shift in the fundamental distribution of opinion.
This trend is evident across age groups, including younger adults aged eighteen to thirty-four as well as older cohorts, where the share of respondents expressing firm opposition to altering the date has risen compared with earlier survey waves.
Polling data from prominent research firms also underscores broad support for keeping Australia Day on January 26. A recent national survey commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs found that approximately three-quarters of Australians support continuing to celebrate the holiday on its current date.
Support was especially high among younger Australians, with a substantial majority backing the status quo.
In Tasmania, separate polling revealed that more than half of residents favoured retaining January 26, with opposition and undecided voters making up a smaller share.
Nonetheless, the debate remains alive in public discourse, with alternative dates such as January 1 or the last Friday in January occasionally proposed but failing to secure widespread consensus.
Proponents of date change argue that January 26 can be painful for many Indigenous Australians and others who view the day as tied to colonisation and its aftermath.
However, political figures and commentators opposing a change have emphasised national unity and continuity, characterising the current date as integral to Australia’s identity.
The latest research suggests that, for now, the centre of gravity in public sentiment remains firmly behind maintaining the traditional date for Australia Day, even as discussions about national recognition, inclusivity and historical understanding continue to feature in public debate.
Analysis from the Deakin Contemporary History Survey shows that while the overall balance of opinion between supporters of the current date and advocates for change remains relatively stable, the intensity of opposition among those who want to retain January 26 has increased significantly in recent years.
The latest findings indicate that a rising proportion of respondents now ‘‘strongly disagree’’ with the idea of celebrating Australia Day on a different date, reflecting a hardening of views rather than a shift in the fundamental distribution of opinion.
This trend is evident across age groups, including younger adults aged eighteen to thirty-four as well as older cohorts, where the share of respondents expressing firm opposition to altering the date has risen compared with earlier survey waves.
Polling data from prominent research firms also underscores broad support for keeping Australia Day on January 26. A recent national survey commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs found that approximately three-quarters of Australians support continuing to celebrate the holiday on its current date.
Support was especially high among younger Australians, with a substantial majority backing the status quo.
In Tasmania, separate polling revealed that more than half of residents favoured retaining January 26, with opposition and undecided voters making up a smaller share.
Nonetheless, the debate remains alive in public discourse, with alternative dates such as January 1 or the last Friday in January occasionally proposed but failing to secure widespread consensus.
Proponents of date change argue that January 26 can be painful for many Indigenous Australians and others who view the day as tied to colonisation and its aftermath.
However, political figures and commentators opposing a change have emphasised national unity and continuity, characterising the current date as integral to Australia’s identity.
The latest research suggests that, for now, the centre of gravity in public sentiment remains firmly behind maintaining the traditional date for Australia Day, even as discussions about national recognition, inclusivity and historical understanding continue to feature in public debate.
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