Opinion
25 January, 2026
Opinion: Australia Day And The Return Of Public Support
Contributed Opinion. Australia Day has traditionally been a celebrated date in the Australian calendar. But the advent of woke culture has threatened its existence.
Contributed opinion. Australia Day has traditionally been a celebrated date in the Australian calendar. But the advent of woke culture has threatened its existence.
Australia Day has always been marked by the backyard cricket game, lamb on the BBQ, citizenship ceremony or perhaps a day at the beach. The Australian flag was displayed everywhere. Some retailers even sold Australia Day bikini swim wear.
However, this gradually changed with the rise of woke culture. Government agencies and sectors of Corporate Australia have increasingly distanced themselves from 26 January. The rationale? They incorrectly see Australia Day as divisive or inappropriate for national celebration.
Government work arrangements have reflected this change. Labor Minister Andrew Giles has allowed councils to avoid holding ceremonies on Australia Day itself. Katy Gallagher allowed federal public servants to work on Australia Day and take the holiday later. In Victoria, Premier Jacinta Allan permanently cancelled Melbourne’s official Australia Day parade.
Corporate Australia has followed the government’s footsteps. Superannuation fund HESTA, law firm Maurice Blackburn, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, National Australia Bank and many other corporations have allowed staff to work on Australia Day, and have the public holiday on another day.
Collectively, these actions reflect a clear cultural signal that 26 January is something from which Australians should step back from. While Australians celebrate it privately, public institutions have stepped back.
These conflicting strategies have resulted in an unresolved contradiction. An employee who chooses to work on Australia Day, because they do not recognise its national significance, is entitled to a holiday that exists solely for the day.
If the national significance of the day is negated, then on what basis is a holiday taken? Is duplicity at play?
However, the tide of rising public support is occurring. Polling by the Institute of Public Affairs shows that around 75% of Australians want Australia Day to remain on 26 January.
Even more revealing is the surge in support among younger Australians. More than 80% of those aged 18–24 support keeping the date. This is an extraordinary reversal from opinion polls conducted only a few years ago.
The engagement of younger Australians is significant. They are often portrayed as disengaged from national traditions, and succumbed to the narratives of inherited guilt. They are seen as being uncomfortable with national pride.
The Institute’s data suggests a nuanced reality. It appears many are capable of acknowledging the complexities of Australia’s history. They want to honour Australia’s achievements, cultural heritage and collective sense of belonging.
Astute political leaders have taken note. Senator Jacinta Price recently argued that Australia’s success is neither accidental nor shameful, and that pride in national achievement is compatible with honesty about the past.
Her message reflects how many Australians actually experience Australia Day – informally in typical Australian laid-back style and without ideological theatre.
Honouring Australia Day is not avoidance of history or dismissing the concerns of Indigenous Australians. Australia Day can acknowledge the injustice of past eras, while still acknowledging who we are, how far we have come and our collective unity.
Dr Raymond Khoury PhD, Colo Vale
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