Australia Day poll conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs reveals support for celebration

A new poll shows it is “clear that mainstream Australians have had a gutful” of anti-Australia Day sentiments, with a majority supporting celebrating our national day on January 26. Have your say in our poll.

• Tips to hosting an affordable Aus Day BBQ

A “vibe shift” against corporate activism has led to a surge in support for celebrating Australia Day on January 26, a new analysis has found, with increasing numbers of younger Australians saying the nation should keep the date.

The latest results of the Institute of Public Affairs’ annual poll of attitudes about the holiday reveal that 69 per cent of Australians agreed with the statement, “Australia Day should be celebrated on January 26”.

This figure was up six points from last year, when 63 per cent of Australians said they supported celebrating the holiday on January 26, marking the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in 1788.

Among Australians aged 18-24 the swing was even larger.

In 2024 just 42 per cent of Australians in that age group polled by the IPA said they supported celebrating on the 26th.

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

This year, that figure shot up to 52 per cent, meaning that every age bracket polled now supports Australia Day staying where it is on the calendar.

The poll also found that a whopping 86 per cent of respondents that they were “proud to be Australian”, while 68 per cent agreed that Australia has “a history to be proud of”.

“The vibe and energy around Australia Day have shifted,” said Daniel Wild, the IPA’s deputy executive director.

“It should give the entire community great hope that despite relentless indoctrination taking place at schools and universities, young Australians are growing in civic pride.”

“In the recent past, every January Australians have needed to endure the hand-wringing and navel gazing of the self-appointed thought leaders and elites demanding the country to think of the reasons to be ashamed of Australia. No more,” he said.

Mainstream residents want to celebrate Australia Day

Mr Wild also said that the failed Voice referendum, as well as retreats by companies like supermarket chain Woolworth’s and hospitality group Australian Venue Co. in the face of backlashes over their decisions not to stock merchandise or celebrate the holiday, had sent a message.

“It is clear that mainstream Australians have had a gutful of this attitude and being put upon by the elites,” Mr Wild said, adding that the arrival of the First Fleet brought with it values of parliamentary democracy, liberty, fairness and tolerance.

“The 26th of January is more than just a date, it represents the establishment of modern Australia as a free and fair country.”

However, Mr Wild said that despite the results, a “continued campaign” to abolish the commemoration meant “if we do not continue to fight for Australia Day, we will lose it.”

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

TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE?

The debate around Australia Day has also seen politicians weigh into the matter, with Employment Minister Murray Watt sparking a debate after an awkward slip of the tongue during a Sunrise interview.

“The date should change, that’s exactly the position of the Government,” Mr Watt initially said, before correcting himself.

“We’ve said repeatedly that we don’t want to change the Australia Day date. I’m not surprised to see that percentage of people in Australia say we should keep the date in place. To be honest, I think most Australians are sick of this debate that we have every single year.

Senator Murray Watt had an apparent slip of the tongue moment on Sunrise. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Barnaby Joyce MP. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The opposition is not talking about changing the date. The government is not talking about changing the date. It’s a non-issue really. I’m not sure why we have this debate every year.”

His sparring partner on the breakfast news segment, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, took the opportunity to have a quick jab at the slip-up.

“I know, it’s a slip of the tongue. If you play the tape, we started the interview with Mr Watt saying we should change the date,” Mr Joyce said on Sunrise.

“Look, I think people are over having elites tell them how to run the country, deciding to make changes from an executive level.”

Originally published as Australia Day poll conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs reveals support for celebration