It follows a The Daily Advertiser poll, prompted by an Australia Day comedy sketch, in which more than 320 residents voted.

At 1.30pm on Wednesday, January 17, 203 people had voted in favour of keeping Australia Day celebrations on January 26; roughly 63 per cent of the total vote.

Meanwhile, 121 residents or 37 per cent of voters were in support of changing the date.

Former Wagga Citizen of the Year and past chair of the Wagga Australia Day Committee Laurie Blowes is a firm advocate for retaining January 26 as a day of celebration.

“It gives you a day to recognise the fact that you are Australian and remember we as Australians live in reasonably high standards compared to the rest of the world,” he said.

“It’s also a day for the whole family to get together and teaching the younger kids how lucky we are to be here.”

Mr Blowes said it he could see no benefit in changing the date as January 26 represented a day “for all Australians”.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, blue, Asian, or Afghani - as soon as you come here you are welcomed into Australia and you become an Australian,” he said.

There’s only nine days until the public holiday and current deputy chair of the Wagga Australia Day Committee David Gilbey is hoping residents will recognise all aspects of the celebration.

“Every year is different in some way or another but I hope the multiplicity of meanings will be celebrated in 2018,” he said.

“January 26 should be fairly remembered as a day with light and dark sides.”

Mr Gilbey has performed a key role in Wagga’s citizenship ceremonies for the past five years as MC and is excited to reprise his duties.

“The ceremony is particularly significant for me - after all, we’re all immigrants, boat people and refugees in some way,” he said.