Melbourne, Australia — 23 January, 2026
New national YouGov polling, commissioned by Future Super on behalf of Clothing The Gaps and the Australian Long Weekend campaign, shows a majority of Australians support moving Australia Day from January 26 in favour of a guaranteed Australian Long Weekend on the second-last Monday of January.
Respondents were asked to choose between the following options
An Australian Long Weekend: a public holiday on the second-last Monday of January (18–24 January), creating a guaranteed summer long weekend
An Australia Day that is fixed to January 26th : which may not result in a long weekend if it falls midweek
Support was strongest among the younger demographic, with 70% of 18–24-year-olds backing an Australian Long Weekend, signalling a clear landslide in favour of the solution and a growing momentum for a more inclusive national approach.
The polling aligns with broader community support for this 'Australian Long Weekend' idea which has received more than 23,000 signatures and the Clothing The Gaps Not A Date To Celebrate petition with over 83,000 supporters and over 150 businesses publicly supporting change.
State-by-state results
WA leads the nation, with 57% backing the Australian Long Weekend
NSW (55%) and Victoria (54%) show strong majority support
Queensland (54%) also backs change
South Australia is evenly divided, reflecting a state still weighing both options
Laura Thompson, (Gunditjmara) CEO and co-founder of Clothing The Gaps, said the results show Australians are ready to move beyond debate:
"These poll results show that Australians are ready and support changing the date. For years we've heard the question, 'If not January 26, then when?' An Australian Long Weekend offers a practical solution, creating distance from January 26, a Day of Mourning for First Nations people, while allowing for a national celebration that is inclusive and respectful."
"There is clear support for changing the date, particularly among young people aged 18–24. Australians are tired of the division surrounding January 26, and when offered a practical, common-sense alternative like an Australian Long Weekend, the majority of Australians are ready to move forward."
"For First Nations people, January 26 marks invasion and dispossession, not a national celebration. First Nations people have been calling for change for generations. With growing public support, the time is right for the Prime Minister to consider a way forward and listen."
Phil Jenkyn OAM co-convenor of the Australia Long Weekend says,
"There is clear, strong support for moving the public holiday to a time in January that brings people together, for the benefit of all."
"This isn't about taking something away; it's about finding a solution that works. An Australian Long Weekend is a practical, common-sense way to move forward without continuing the harm caused by January 26."
This is the first national poll to give Australians a clear choice and a concrete solution: rather than simply asking whether Australia Day should change, respondents were presented with a practical alternative that retains a public holiday while ensuring it never falls on January 26, a date declared a Day of Mourning in 1938 by Aboriginal leaders including William Cooper. The results reflect the state of the nation, with a majority seeking a way to honour a national celebration without the division associated with January 26.
Business support is also growing:
Future Super
"Aussies love a long weekend and a long weekend would allow us to truly celebrate all of the things that make modern Australia great while leaving January 26 as a day of mourning. That's why we're standing with Not a Date to Celebrate. Inequality isn't sustainable, and real progress requires listening, learning and acting even when it's uncomfortable. For many First Nations people, it marks the beginning of dispossession, many Australians want a national day that truly centres and celebrates First Nations people." — Simon Sheikh, CEO & Founder
