Guardian Essential poll reveals growing support for changing the date of Australia Day

Australians could be warming to the idea of changing the date of Australia Day to recognise Indigenous peoples, or keeping 26 January but establishing a separate day for that purpose, according to the Guardian Essential poll.

As well as evolving community attitudes about the date, the latest Guardian Essential poll suggests a shift in mindset about the current lived reality for Indigenous Australians.

The data shows fewer people think conditions have improved for Indigenous Australians during the past 10 years. In 2021, 48% of respondents said they believed things were better, but in 2022, this is down to 36%.

Asked how they would be marking Australia Day, 50% of respondents said they felt the national day was just another public holiday (down from 53% who expressed that view last year), while 27% said they would be holding a celebration to mark the occasion (down from 29% in 2021). A minority of respondents (7%) said they would be working on 26 January.

The government paid more than $20m to obtain the copyright to the flag and terminated commercial licenses owned by companies which had limited the reproduction of the symbol.