Tony Abbott believes the arrival of the First Fleet was a good thing for Indigenous Australians.

The former prime minister was throwing his support behind keeping the existing date of Australia Day, in a chat with 2GB's Ray Hadley.

"Australia Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all of the things we've achieved," he said.

"What happened on the 26th of January 1788 was on balance, for everyone - Aboriginal people included - a good thing because it brought Western civilisation to this country, it brought Australia into the modern world.