Nearly two-thirds of Australians (64%) say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’, virtually unchanged on a year ago

A special Roy Morgan SMS Poll into attitudes towards January 26 shows a clear majority of 64% of Australians now say the date should be known as ‘Australia Day’ – virtually unchanged from a year ago. This compares to the just over a third, 36% that say it should be called ‘Invasion Day’ according to a special Roy Morgan SMS Poll conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,231 Australians aged 18+ on the weekend from Friday January 20 to Monday January 23, 2023.

Over two-thirds of men favour ‘Australia Day’ on January 26, but Women are more evenly split

There is quite a gender difference on the question with men favouring January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of over 2:1 (69% cf. 31%).

In contrast, Australia’s women are more evenly split with a narrow majority of 58% in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 42% saying it should be known as ‘Invasion Day’.

Support for saying January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ is down slightly on a year ago for both genders.

Australians under 35 continue to favour ‘Invasion Day’ while those over 35 favour ‘Australia Day’

The results of this survey are heavily correlated to age with a majority of Australians aged under 35 in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’. A majority of 56% of Australians aged under 25 are in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ compared to 44% who say it should be known as ‘Australia Day’.

There is a very similar result for their slightly older counterparts aged 25-34 with 53% in favour of the day being known as ‘Invasion Day’ compared to 47% who say it should be known as ‘Australia Day’.

Support for January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ increases for each successive age group above the age of 35. Almost three-fifths of people aged 35-49 are in favour of ‘Australia Day’ (59% cf. 41%) and this margin increases substantially for those aged 50-64 (73% cf. 27%) and 65+ (81% cf. 19%).

Interestingly, the largest shift over the last year has been for younger people aged under 25 with support for January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ growing significantly by 8% points for this age group. In contrast, the largest movement in the other direction has been for people aged 35-49 for whom support for January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ has increased by 6% points from a year ago.

ALP & L-NP voters favour ‘Australia Day’ whereas Greens voters increasingly favour ‘Invasion Day’

L-NP supporters favour January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of almost three-to-one, 74% (down 2% points from a year ago) cf. 26% (up 2% points) - while almost two-thirds of ALP supporters favour ‘Australia Day’ (63%, down 2% points from a year ago) cf. ‘Invasion Day’ (37%, up 2% points).

In contrast, an increasing majority of Greens supporters are in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ (63%, up 7% points from a year ago) rather than ‘Australia Day’ (44%, down 7% points).

Supporters of Independents and Others, including Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, are increasingly in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ (80%, up 12% points) compared to only 20% (down 12% points) that say it should be known as ‘Invasion Day’.

Over two-thirds of people in Queensland and Western Australia but only 54% in Victoria are in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’

Over two-thirds of people in both Queensland (69% cf. 31%) and Western Australia (71% cf. 29%) are in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ instead of ‘Invasion Day’ – the highest support for retaining the holiday as it currently is of any of the six States.

Support for the existing arrangement is also strong in several States with over three-fifths of people in New South Wales (66% cf. 34%), South Australia (66% cf. 34%) and Tasmania (61% cf. 39%) in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ instead of ‘Invasion Day’.

However, in Victoria there is only a narrow majority in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ (54%) rather than ‘Invasion Day’ (46%). Support for the date being known as ‘Invasion Day’ has increased by 8% points from a year ago – the largest change in any of the six States.

There is significant divergence between Australia’s Capital Cities and those in Country Regions. A declining majority of 59% (down 4% points on a year ago) of people in Capital Cities say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 41% (up 4% points) opting for ‘Invasion Day’.

In Country Regions the difference is far starker with well over two-thirds (71%, up 2% points on a year ago) saying the day should be known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 29% (down 2% points) for ‘Invasion Day’.

Michele Levine CEO Roy Morgan, says support for January 26 remaining as ‘Australia Day’ has held largely steady over the last year with the support of 64% of Australians compared to 36% who are in favour of calling the day ‘Invasion Day’:

This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,231 Australians aged 18+ on the weekend of Friday January 20 – Monday January 23, 2023. Of those surveyed 4% of respondents suggested neither or something else for the day.

For further comment or more information contact:
Michele Levine 0411 129 093 or Gary Morgan 0411 129 094 or email askroymorgan@roymorgan.com.

Australians surveyed were asked about their view of Australia Day:

• Question 1: “On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney Cove. In your opinion should January 26 be known as Australia Day or Invasion Day?” Australia Day 64% (down 1% point from a year ago) cf. Invasion Day 36% (up 1% point).
• Question 2: “And why do you say that?”

Question 1:

On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney Cove. In your opinion should January 26 be known as Australian Day or Invasion Day?

By Gender & Age

On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney Cove. In your opinion should January 26 be known as Australian Day or Invasion Day?

By States & City/Country

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney Cove. In your opinion should January 26 be known as Australian Day or Invasion Day?

By Party Vote (Federal)