Massive swing in public opinion about January 26 as Australia Day poll reveals growing support

Support for celebrating Australia Day has surged to an overwhelming majority, with new polling showing public opinion decisively in favour of keeping the date on January 26.

The latest poll released by the Institute of Public Affairs found 76 per cent of Australians support Australia Day remaining on 26 January, up from 69 per cent in 2025.

Opposition to January 26 has fallen sharply, with just one in ten Australians opposing the date, down from 14 per cent in 2025 and 17 per cent in 2024.

The data showed 83 per cent of Australians aged 18–24 support Australia Day on January 26, up from 52 per cent in 2025 and just 42 per cent in 2024.

“The divisive debate about our national day is over,” IPA deputy executive director Daniel Wild said.

“Support for Australia Day on 26 January has surged, yet again, with more than three-quarters of Australians backing it in, including 83 per cent of Australians aged 18-24.

“This polling confirms what mainstream Australians have always known: January 26 is Australia Day – always was, always will be.”

The results come amid renewed calls for national unity following the Bondi Beach terror attack late.

Mr Wild said that the decline in social cohesion over the past 12 months, including the Bondi Beach terror attack, served as a reminder of unity.

“This is why uniting around our national day, and our national flag, is a great reminder to us all that there is far more that unites us than divides us,” he said.

The polling has been released against the backdrop of controversy over taxpayer-funded research examining whether Australia Day should be moved.

The Australian Research Council recently handed almost $1.5 million in taxpayer funding to a controversial research project examining changing the date.

The Daily Telegraph revealed that the Australian National University project “Change The Date? Australia Day, Reconciliation and the Politics of Division” was handed $1.48m.

The massive grant was announced in documents published on the federal government’s Grant Connect website.

Acting shadow education minister Jonno Duniam condemned the grant, questioning the use of public funds.

“Why are we paying $1.5m in taxpayers’ money to develop the core components of the activist’s toolkit,” Mr Duniam said.

“Research funding is intended to advance our national research agenda, not develop partisan playbooks.

“Australians will make up their own minds as to whether this grant passes that test.”