A survey of over 1,000 Tasmanians by EMRS has revealed that a majority support keeping Australia Day on January 26.
EMRS CEO Mary Massina says the poll, which she believes is the first of its kind in Tasmania in recent years, offers an “important insight” into the state’s views on the national holiday.
The results showed that 56% of respondents want to stick with the current date, 34% are opposed and 11% remain undecided.
Support was strongest in the electorate of Braddon, where 72% were in favour of celebrating on January 26 and 21% were against it.
The Hobart-based electorate of Clark was the only one where support for January 26 fell below 50%, with 46% opposing the current date compared to 44% in favour.
According to EMRS, age played a role in people’s views. Tasmanians aged 70 and over were the most supportive, with 61% backing the current date, followed by the 55-69 age group at 58%.
However, younger Tasmanians were less inclined to support the date. Among 18-34-year-olds, 43% opposed January 26, while only 35% supported it.
“Interestingly, overall only a tiny 3.34% of Tasmanians surveyed indicated that they were not supportive of celebrating Australia Day at all,” Massina said.
The survey also examined alternative dates for Australia Day among those who opposed January 26.
January 1, marking the anniversary of Federation, received 28% support.
May 27, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum gained 27% support, as did Wattle Day on September 1.
The survey was conducted via EMRS’s online panel from January 15 to 21, with participation from 1,048 Tasmanians.
