Exclusive polling data shows 75 per cent of Aussies want to keep Australia Day on January 26

Australians have overwhelmingly rejected the fierce push by rogue councils and the Greens to move their national day from January 26 in the name of “inclusivity”. DO YOU AGREE? VOTE IN OUR POLL.

• ScoMo’s move to ‘protect, respect’ Australia Day
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Australians have overwhelmingly rejected the fierce push by rogue councils and the Greens to move their national day from January 26.

The exclusive polling data from Sydney firm Research Now showed 75 per cent of people wanted Australia Day to stay where it was despite ­attempts to change the date in the name of “inclusivity”.

The youngest of the 1000 people surveyed were the most likely to call for a date change but even among the 18 to 24 cohort, a majority 55 per cent backed Australia Day’s current date while 37 per cent didn’t have an opinion either way.

Only 8 per cent of young people actually wanted the date changed.

It comes as Greens leader Richard Di Natale has offered to host citizenship ceremonies for councils in a bid to thwart the Prime Minister’s ban on a date change.

“The whole movement to change the date is an important step along the road to treaty, sovereignty and justice for our First nations peoples and we hope Labor will join us on that journey,” Mr Di Natale said.

But Labor leader Bill Shorten said he would not be joining Mr Di Natale’s stance.

“I just think we’ve got to leave the politics alone, catch up with our family and friends, and on Australia Day my wish is for all Australians to realise what a great country we live in,” he said.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale and Labor leader Bill Shorten are at odds over an Australia Day date change.

This morning Health Minister Greg Hunt said The Daily Telegraph’s polling data proved Australians were sick of the Greens politicising the national day.

“I believe the vast majority of Australians strongly support Australia Day. It celebrates what we are as a contemporary nation and this game that’s played out every year is simply a diversion and self-serving,” Mr Hunt said.

“Australia Day is about celebrating a nation that is a multi-ethnic success, with all of the challenges of any country. But around the world we are a global beacon and that’s why people want to come here because what we have is something special,” he said.

“When you look at where we are, when you see our beaches and our culture, we see a nation that is in many ways the envy of the world.”

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Dr Bella d'Abrera, commissioned the poll, which revealed the average Australian was tired of attempts by activists and politicians to shame them. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Institute of Public Affairs director of western civilisation Dr Bella d’Abrera, who commissioned the poll, said the data showed that the average Australian was proud of their nation and tired of attempts by activists and politicians to shame them.

“Mainstream Australians are fundamentally optimistic and positive about Australia and its values,” Dr d’Abrera told The Daily Telegraph.

“Only 8 per cent of young people between the ages of 18-24 say Australia Day should not be celebrated on 26 ­January. Which proves that despite the media and political left narrative, young people are not drawn to the divisive ­argument of opposing our ­national day.

“26 January marks the foundation of modern Australia and it should to be celebrated by all Australians. Rather than being ashamed of it, we should be proud of it.”

The polling also showed 76 per cent of Australians ­believed they had “a history to be proud of”, a notion sup­ported by 62 per cent of young people.

Only 8 per cent of young people say Australia Day should not be celebrated on January 26. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Martin

The need for freedom of speech was also highlighted by 92 per cent of respondents as being an important value.

“These results demonstrate that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are important values for mainstream Australians,” Dr d’Abrera said.

“They are not the fringe ­issues as often portrayed by the political class.”

Several rogue councils, ­including Byron Bay, face being stripped of their powers to hold citizenship ceremonies as they ignore a plea from the Prime Minister to hold the events on Australia Day.

The furore intensified ­between local councils and the federal government on Tuesday when the mayor of Australia’s oldest inland local government, Bathurst Regional Council, said it would not hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day due to the ­“extreme heat”.

Bathurst Mayor Graeme Hanger said he wouldn’t hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day due to “extreme heat”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he doesn’t want to let the national day “fade away” because of rogue councils. Picture: AAP Image/ Michael Franchi

Mayor Graeme Hanger ­insisted the decision was ­purely related to the heatwave set to hit the area but added the change was ­endorsed by council’s Australia Day Working Party in September last year.

The Greens, who support councils that do not want to hold citizenship ceremonies, say they have advice from the parliamentary library that federal MPs can hold the ceremonies without the approval of the government.

“We’re promising today that any council which is stripped of its ability to hold citizenship ceremonies … can count on a Greens senator or MP in their state to conduct those ceremonies in their place,” Greens leader Richard Di Natale told The Australian last night.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would not let ­Australia Day “fade away” because of rogue councils.

“I don’t want to see Australia Day undermined into the future and just see it sort of fade away,” Mr Morrison said.