Australia Day debate sparks heated reactions as poll shows growing support for January 26

As Australia Day discussions heat up, readers have weighed in, with many voicing support for keeping the celebration on January 26.

• Fresh poll shows support for Aus Day date

The debate over Australia Day continues to divide opinions, with a surge in support for keeping the national celebration on January 26.

The most recent poll by the Institute of Public Affairs shows a shift in support for keeping January 26 as the official date, with 69 per cent of Australians now backing the celebration on this day.

The results highlight a significant surge, particularly among younger Australians, as the “vibe shift” against corporate activism and “woke” agendas takes hold.

However, not all readers of The Daily Telegraph agree on the matter.

“We need Dutton for PM to push back on the woke clowns that hate Australia,” Stephen said.

“Snags and one flag! Celebrate Australia Day,” Deborah commented.

Mainstream residents want to celebrate Australia Day

“People are sick of being told what to do by a loud minority,” Andrew said.

“26th January - just the 1 flag only and make it a BIG one,” Kora said.

“One flag unites us, 3 flags divide us,” John commented.

Another user said: “Absolutely NO vibe shift from me, always was, and always will be Jan 26th.

Geoff, wrote in the article’s comments section: “Take note politicians. The public has had enough woke agenda items.”

The comments align with the findings from the Institute of Public Affairs, which reports that 52 per cent of Australians aged 18-24 now support Australia Day remaining on January 26 — up from 42 per cent last year.

The date of Australia Day has been widely debated for a number of years. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Despite the public’s strong opinion, the matter remains divisive.

“Unfortunately Jan 26 will never unite us. That’s a fact we all need to recognise. A long weekend in October would work much better,” one reader said.

But, as Daniel Wild from the IPA points out, this growing support for maintaining January 26 highlights a shift away from the influence of “self-appointed thought leaders” and “woke” elites.

Institute of Public Affairs’ Daniel Wild said Aussies were sick of woke agendas. Picture: NewsWire/ Richard Gosling

He said that the holiday symbolises more than just a date — it marks the foundation of modern Australia as a free and fair country.

The poll of 1,002 Australians was conducted by Dynata over 14-15 December.

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Originally published as Australia Day debate sparks heated reactions as poll shows growing support for January 26