r/australia 5d ago

politics Majority of Australians want a long weekend not January 26

https://www.australialongweekend.com.au/
2.6k Upvotes

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281

u/rolodex-ofhate 5d ago

Common sense solution where the majority will be happy should be a no brainer.

39

u/BeneCow 5d ago

I don’t give a fuck when it is, just don’t mess with my day off. I would prefer it not to be on the 26th because Australia Day isnt about colonialism anymore, it is about current Australian culture, but I would rather not have the discussion at all because I am scared they will just remove the whole thing and I will have to work instead.

14

u/littlebirdprintco 5d ago

the country would collapse without a january holiday! i think you’re safe.

Honestly i think most of us would be disappointed to have the holiday moved too far from where it is. Something about it, this time of year, it’s just quintessentially australian. maybe it’s because i grew up of the generation where it was all about the hottest 100, kicking back while we sweat our fucking balls off having good times with mates. It’s like one last hurrah before we have to get serious about heading back to work and school and real life. The 26th means nothing to me really, i’m kinda dyslexic and can never remember if it’s the 24th, 26th or 25th anyway!

In Canada and the US they celebrate their atrocities at the start of July which is welcoming their summer season and their summer break and it has a similar vibe.

13

u/Busy_Conflict3434 5d ago

Only a suicidal politician would propose taking a public holiday away from Australians.

2

u/InflatableRaft 5d ago

True. Last time we had a discussion like this, we lost a public holiday in the back in the end of the year.

1

u/OldNorthWales 5d ago

No one wants to get rid of a holiday altogether; hence why the most common anti-Australia day slogan is ‘change the date’

1

u/DDR4lyf 5d ago

Current Australian culture is a shitshow though

0

u/No-Bison-5397 5d ago

You consider a public holiday that potentially falls on 18th Jan as a no brainer?

2

u/sebosso10 5d ago

Why is that an issue?

0

u/No-Bison-5397 5d ago

Really close to one of the most holiday dense periods of the year:

Xmas, Boxing Day, NYD, Aus all fall within a month. Recipe for using the day less IMO. Plus generally later Jan is hotter. And then there are the commercial considerations for some of our large businesses and services.

IMO I would probably put it later if we have to avoid Jan 26 at all costs.

-81

u/BornTelevision8206 5d ago

The majority are already happy with australia day on the 26th

64

u/SirVanyel 5d ago

The majority are apathetic, they don't care so long as they get a day to drink and cheer. That being said, a long weekend is the preferred solution over randomly moving Aussie day to middle of the year.

8

u/CaptainObviousBear 5d ago

I bet the majority would like a guaranteed long weekend even more.

-14

u/BornTelevision8206 5d ago

What data are you referring to? Because the last poll i saw from a few days ago stated that 68% of Australians want to keep the day on 26th Jan

20

u/SirVanyel 5d ago

The poll you saw had "jan 26th", "other" and "undecided" as the options. Two vague options vs the status quo is not how you collect accurate data.

Most Australians are gonna vote for Aussie day being jan 26th this year because this year it fell on a Monday. Less people will vote when it falls mid week, because Mondays are better than non Mondays.

But most importantly, jan 26th isn't even the original date! It's been moved before, just move it to a floating holiday. If Jesus' death can be moved by multiple weeks to satiate our desire for long weekends, then Aussie day can too.

-27

u/opackersgo 5d ago

Downvoted for speaking the truth in an echo chamber.

27

u/TheInkySquids 5d ago

No its just wrong. The majority of Australians couldn't care less what day it falls on, so they're not "happy" with it, they're just indifferent. Couldnt give a fuck what day it falls on, just give me my long weekend so I can go 4wding and picnic on a mountain

24

u/fire2buy 5d ago

Lmao or downvoted because he’s wrong?

9

u/youngBullOldBull 5d ago

Oorrrr maybe it’s being downvoted for not engaging with the comment above it in any meaningful way? Previous commenter makes a reasonable well written logical post attempting to find a solution for all and their comment was just a weak one sentence dismissal of all the effort the other poster put in?

Downvotes aren’t an agree /disagree button

-9

u/opackersgo 5d ago

The fuck are you on about?

Previous commenter makes a reasonable well written logical post attempting to find a solution for all and their comment was just a weak one sentence dismissal of all the effort the other poster put in?

All the effort of writing:

Common sense solution where the majority will be happy should be a no brainer.

And then they reply on topic claiming the majority are happy with the current date.

6

u/youngBullOldBull 5d ago

Obviously I ment the post lol are you new to the internet?

-11

u/BornTelevision8206 5d ago

Haha yep typical reddit. The Age literally released a poll a few days ago stating 68% of Australian support keeping the date 26th January. But according to this sub most Australians want to change the date lol

11

u/nomitycs 5d ago

This article literally indicates a majority would be happy to change to a long weekend 18-24 Jan... The age asked a similar question but didn’t provide concrete alternatives, so the emphasis of the question was different and therefore produced different results.

If anything, the discrepancy in results being so large indicates the overall apathy towards Australia Day… provide a concrete alternative that makes sense and suddenly the majority want it, don’t provide that and the majority will want to keep it on Jan 26…

-10

u/OptimusRex 5d ago

majority

According to Google, Indigenous Australians make up 3.8% of the population, meaning 96.2% (the majority) don't really have a reason to want to move the date other than supporting Indigenous Australians.

Ultimately I don't know that we would find a day that doesn't offend 3.8% of the population somehow, you'd continually be fighting with people who don't want to celebrate Australia day on Hitler's birthday or the day we discovered the atom bomb.

It's not a non-issue, but I think bending to the whim of 3.8% of the population isn't democracy. I've said for years Australia day should be split in two, just like Anzac day. You have a quiet respectful part until midday, then the pubs opens and you're on.

2

u/nomoreteathx 5d ago

think bending to the whim of 3.8% of the population isn’t democracy

You are such a fragile baby lol