Increasing majority of Australians (72%) say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’, and say the date of Australia Day should stay on January 26 (60.5%)

Topic: Special Poll

Finding No: 10132

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A special Roy Morgan SMS Poll on Australia Day, January 26, shows 72% of Australians now say the date should stay as ‘Australia Day’ – up 3.5% from two years ago. Only 28% (down 3.5%) say January 26 should be called ‘Invasion Day’.

An increased majority of Australians say Australia Day should not be moved from January 26, 60.5% (up 2% from 2024) compared to 39.5% (down 2%) say the date should be moved – according to a special Roy Morgan SMS Poll conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,311 Australians aged 18+ from Wednesday January 14 – Friday January 16, 2026.

People surveyed were told “On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney Cove,” and asked: “In your opinion should January 26 be known as Australia Day or Invasion Day?” and "Do you think the date of Australia Day should be moved?"

Roy Morgan Chief Executive Officer Michele Levine says:

“This is the highest support for Australia Day recorded by Roy Morgan. There is majority support for Australia Day retaining its name and date across all age groups, genders, and all States.

“However, the issue is divided politically with large majorities of L-NP and One Nation supporters saying January 26 should remain as Australia Day and the date should not be changed – over 90% for both parties on both questions, whereas majorities of ALP and Greens supporters say January 26 should be known as ‘Invasion Day’ and the date should be changed.”

Over 80% of men favour ‘Australia Day’ on January 26 compared to just over 60% of women

An increasingly large majority of men favour January 26 staying as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of almost 5:1 (83% cf. 17%) a significant change from two years ago (76.5% cf. 23.5%).

In contrast, Australia’s women are more evenly split with a majority of 61% (down 0.5% points from two years ago) in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 39% (up 0.5% points) saying it should be known as ‘Invasion Day.

Almost three-quarters of men (74%, up 6.5% points) say the date of Australia Day ‘should not be moved’ and only 26% (down 6.5% points) say the date ‘should be moved’. A majority of women (53%, up 2.5% points) say the date of Australia Day ‘should be moved’ whereas 47% (down 2.5% points) oppose moving the date.

Australians of all ages say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’

Large majorities of over two-thirds of every age group say that January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ with the strongest agreement from Australians aged 65+ at 74.5%.

Support for saying January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ by age:

18-34: 72% (up 16% since 2024) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 28% (down 16%) ‘Invasion Day’;
35-49: 69% (up 5.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 31% (down 5.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
50-64: 72% (down 6.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 28% (up 6.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
65+: 74.5% (down 8%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 25.5% (up 8%) ‘Invasion Day’.

A majority of Australians of all ages say the date of Australia Day ‘should not be moved’:

18-34: 57.5% (up 6.5% since 2024) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 42.5% (down 6.5%) ‘Move the date’;
35-49: 56% (up 3.5%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 44% (down 3.5%) ‘Move the date’;
50-64: 62% (down 1.5%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 38% (up 1.5%) ‘Move the date’;
65+: 67.5% (down 2.5%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 32.5% (up 2.5%) ‘Move the date’.

Opinions about ‘Australia Day’ divide along political lines: L-NP and One Nation voters favour ‘Australia Day’, ALP voters are split fairly evenly and Greens strongly favour ‘Invasion Day’

An almost unanimous majority of L-NP supporters 99% (up 9% points from two years ago) and One Nation supporters (97%) favour January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’, and only a fraction of each group of supporters favour January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’.

ALP supporters are split fairly evenly on the issue with a small majority of 55% (up 5% points from two years ago) who say January 26 should be known as ‘Invasion Day’ compared to 45% (down 5% points) who favour January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’.

In contrast, a clear majority of Greens supporters are in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ 86% (down 3.5% points from two years ago) rather than ‘Australia Day’ 14% (up 3.5% points).

Large majorities of L-NP and One Nation supporters don’t want to ‘move the date’ of Australia Day while significant majorities of ALP and Greens supporters do

Only 9.5% (down 9% points from two years ago) of L-NP supporters and just 8% of One Nation supporters want to ‘move the date’ of Australia Day while large majorities of ALP supporters (64%, up 3% points%) and Greens supporters (86%, down 8% points) want to ‘move the date’ of Australia Day.

Should the date of Australia Day ‘be moved’ by party support:

L-NP supporters: 90.5% (up 9% since 2024) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 9.5% (down 9%) ‘Move the date’;
ALP supporters: 36% (down 3%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 64% (up 3%) ‘Move the date’;
One Nation supporters: 92% ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 8% ‘Move the date’;
Greens supporters: 14% (up 8%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 86% (down 8%) ‘Move the date’;
Independent supporters: 61.5% (up 17.5%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 38.5% (down 17.5%) ‘Move the date’;
Other party supporters: 57.5% (down 19%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 42.5% (up 19%) ‘Move the date’.

People in Country Areas are more likely than those in the Capital Cities to say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’

A large majority of 79% (down 0.5% points from 2024) of Australians living in Country Areas say January 26 should stay as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 68% (up 5% points) living in Capital Cities.

Large majorities of Australians in all six States say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ with the largest proportion in favour in Queensland (78.5%), Western Australia (75.5%), and South Australia (74%). The closest result is in Victoria with 65% saying January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’.

Support for saying January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ State and Region:

Capital Cities: 68% (up 5% since 2024) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 32% (down 5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
Country Areas: 79% (down 0.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 21% (up 0.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
New South Wales: 73% (up 1%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 27% (down 1%) ‘Invasion Day’;
Victoria: 65% (up 1.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 35% (down 1.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
Queensland: 78.5% (up 8.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 21.5% (down 8.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
Western Australia: 75.5% (up 4.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 24.5% (down 4.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
South Australia: 74% (up 9.5%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 27% (down 9.5%) ‘Invasion Day’;
Tasmania: 72% (down 4%) ‘Australia Day’ cf. 28% (up 4%) ‘Invasion Day’.

People in Country Areas don’t want to ‘move the date’, those in Capital Cities are more evenly split

A large majority of Australians living in Country Areas (70%, down 2% points from 2024) say the date of Australia Day ‘should not be moved’ compared to 55.5% (down 2% points) of those living in Capital Cities that say the date ‘should not be moved’.

People in all six Australian States say no to ‘moving the date’ with the largest majorities in New South Wales (67%), Western Australia (64.5%), South Australia (63.5%), and Queensland (61%), but only a slim majority of just 52.5% in Victoria.

Should the date of Australia Day ‘be moved’ by State & Region:

Capital Cities: 55.5% (up 2% since 2024) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 44.5% (down 2%) ‘Move the date’;
Country Areas: 70% (up 2%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 30% (down 2%) ‘Move the date’;
New South Wales: 67% (up 7%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 33% (down 7%) ‘Move the date’;
Victoria: 52.5% (down 7.5%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 47.5% (up 7.5%) ‘Move the date’;
Queensland: 61% (down 3%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 39% (up 3%) ‘Move the date’;
Western Australia: 64.5% (up 15%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 35% (down 15%) ‘Move the date’;
South Australia: 63.5% (up 12%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 36.5% (down 12%) ‘Move the date’;
Tasmania: 59% (up 7%) ‘Don’t move the date’ cf. 41% (down 7%) ‘Move the date.

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 68.5% (up 4.5% points from a year ago) cf. Invasion Day 31.5% (down 4.5% points).
Question 2: “And why do you say that?”
Question 3: "Do you think the date of Australia Day should be moved?"
Question 4: “And why do you say that?”

This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,311 Australians aged 18+ from Wednesday January 14 – Friday January 16, 2026. Of those surveyed 4% (down 1%) 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.

About Roy Morgan

Roy Morgan is Australia’s largest independent Australian research company, with offices in each state, as well as in the U.S. and U.K. A full-service research organisation, Roy Morgan has over 80 years’ experience collecting objective, independent information on consumers.

Margin of Error

The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.

Sample Size

Percentage Estimate

	40% – 60%	25% or 75%	10% or 90%	5% or 95%
1,000	±3.0	±2.7	±1.9	±1.3
5,000	±1.4	±1.2	±0.8	±0.6
7,500	±1.1	±1.0	±0.7	±0.5
10,000	±1.0	±0.9	±0.6	±0.4
20,000	±0.7	±0.6	±0.4	±0.3
50,000	±0.4	±0.4	±0.3	±0.2