Almost nine in 10 Australians believe Australia Day should continue to be celebrated on January 26, a new poll has found, revealing an overwhelming majority – and growing number – of our population is firmly against changing the date.
Thousands of people are expected to attend Invasion Day protests, rallies, marches and vigils this weekend, their call to move our national holiday away from the anniversary of white settlement – which they say marks the dispossession and enduring oppression of our First Nations people – is falling on increasingly deaf ears.
An online survey of more than 21,000 people, conducted by News Corp, showed at least 87 per cent think our national day should remain as it is, and at least three in four Australians declared any government that changes the date would lose their support.
Just 12 per cent of respondents backed calls to change the date, and one per cent advocated for no celebration at all.
The majority of Australians believe Australia Day should remain on January 26. Picture: John Appleyard
Another recent poll, from the Institute of Public Affairs, similarly revealed that the majority of participants in each age group now believe that the national day should remain on January 26.
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