An Institute of Public Affairs survey has added a new layer to the national debate on the "Change the Date" of Australia Day campaign.
While Australians have always supported their national day on the 26th of January, public support for a date change of Australia’s national day has grown in recent years.
The Institute of Public Affairs has published results of its latest survey, which shows that 65 per cent of Australians oppose the idea of an alternative date for Australia Day being chosen.
Over a thousand Australians participated in the poll.
The poll also found that only 15 per cent of Australians would actively welcome a date change, while 84 per cent of citizens claim they are ‘proud to be an Australian’.
The release of the IPA’s survey results ignited a disgruntled reaction from Today Show host Allison Langdon this morning who refused to read the story in full.
'In a poll of 1,000 people aged 18-24, most thought... wow, this is making no sense... 65 per cent supported celebrating as it is on the 26th of January, 84 per cent were proud to be Australian...'
After then promptly shuffling her notes, Langdon continued to question the survey.
“There was a whole bunch of people who are not proud of our nation's history.”
Indigenous Australians are among groups that are known to frequently oppose the January 26 date, arguing that James Cook’s arrival in the country in 1770 does not accurately represent the discovery of Australia.