Many Australians support changing the Australia Day public holiday from January 26: ACM survey

The sample of 1060 respondents found that 46 per cent were in favour of changing the date so it is not celebrated on January 26, while 40 per cent believed it should stay the same.

Australians living in metropolitan areas were stronger in their support, at 53 per cent, while 44 per cent of people living in regional areas were supportive.

The results foreshadow the divided approaches Australians will take on Thursday, between celebrating the day and attending Invasion Day events to be held around the country.

In the ACT, where 45 per cent of 75 respondents were supportive of a change, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy will lead an Invasion Day rally.

Opposition to the Voice to Parliament will also feature as a strong theme of the rally, as the embassy urges others to oppose the advisory body.

Some employers have begun to take note of changing attitudes, giving staff the option to work on the day.

The opposition has blamed the government for this shift, claiming Labor is encouraging corporate Australia to change the date.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the date will remain the same.

"My boss, the Prime Minister, has made it clear that Australia Day is staying on the 26th of January," he said.

Mr Clare said that part of what made Australia great was the chance to debate the day.

"You can celebrate if you want to, you can protest if you want to, you can go to work tomorrow if you want to, or you can have a few beers with your mates if you want to," he said on the Today Show.

Victoria recorded the strongest support in the survey for changing the date; 55 per cent of those surveyed were in support, followed by NSW, where 47 per cent of respondents wanted the date changed.

In Queensland, 69 per cent of those surveyed wanted the public holiday date to remain the same.

Men and women responded similarly; with 46 per cent in support of changing the date, while 45 per cent opposed.

However, factors that did influence how people responded included age, education and income.

Those who registered their support for changing the date said they thought it would not be difficult to implement, and would be meaningful for First Nations people.

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"Changing the date is something that won't make much of a difference to the majority, but will mean so much to our Indigenous population," one woman in the 18 to 29-year-old age group said.

On the other hand, the woman said convincing "working-class people" to give up the January 26 public holiday would prove difficult.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal to move it later in the year when there is not many public holidays however, I don't think anyone will ever convince the working class to give up a summer public holiday."

People earning in the lowest income bracket, of under $20,000 per year, were less likely (at 32 per cent) to support the change than those earning between $150,000 and $399,999 (at 54 per cent).

Another woman, aged 30-39, said. "There's no particular significance of having that specific date to the entirety of Australia, in my opinion."

"And there shouldn't be an issue to pick a neutral date. It doesn't even have to have historic value. Just pick a date that's good for BBQs and everyone can celebrate."