Q. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about Australian involvement in the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither disagree nor agree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| Australia should increase its refugee intake to include more people fleeing the violence in Afghanistan | 48% | 24% | 20% | 28% | 28% | 11% | 12% |
| The government should grant permanent visas to all Afghan nationals currently in Australia | 43% | 26% | 19% | 24% | 31% | 13% | 13% |
| The deployment of Australian troops in Afghanistan has benefitted Afghanistan and its inhabitants | 42% | 22% | 13% | 28% | 37% | 11% | 11% |
| The deployment of Australian troops in Afghanistan has improved Australia’s reputation internationally | 36% | 22% | 11% | 25% | 42% | 12% | 10% |
| TOTAL: Agree | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
| Australia should increase its refugee intake to include more people fleeing the violence in Afghanistan | 48% | 51% | 45% | 53% | 46% | 45% | 54% | 46% | 72% | 29% | ||
| The government should grant permanent visas to all Afghan nationals currently in Australia | 43% | 48% | 37% | 46% | 40% | 42% | 48% | 41% | 65% | 26% | ||
| The deployment of Australian troops in Afghanistan has benefitted Afghanistan and its inhabitants | 42% | 43% | 40% | 38% | 45% | 42% | 36% | 55% | 38% | 33% | ||
| The deployment of Australian troops in Afghanistan has improved Australia’s reputation internationally | 36% | 42% | 31% | 35% | 40% | 33% | 30% | 47% | 38% | 27% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,100 | 539 | 561 | 341 | 374 | 385 | 388 | 405 | 90 | 119 | ||
afghanistan, interest in news stories, war crimes
Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?
The alleged war crimes committed by Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Very closely | 17% | 23% | 10% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 19% | 17% | 22% | 17% |
| Fairly closely | 36% | 39% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 42% | 38% | 40% | 27% | 33% |
| Not that closely | 31% | 27% | 36% | 32% | 31% | 31% | 30% | 32% | 31% | 29% |
| Not closely at all | 16% | 11% | 21% | 18% | 20% | 10% | 13% | 11% | 21% | 21% |
| TOTAL: Closely | 53% | 62% | 44% | 49% | 49% | 59% | 57% | 57% | 49% | 50% |
| TOTAL: Not closely | 47% | 38% | 56% | 51% | 51% | 41% | 43% | 43% | 51% | 50% |
| Base (n) | 1,034 | 528 | 506 | 329 | 320 | 385 | 322 | 430 | 88 | 107 |
afghanistan, civillians, United States, US drone strikes, Yemen
Q. The United States has a policy of targeting terrorists with remote controlled drone strikes in countries such as Afghanistan and Yemen. These attacks also sometimes kill and injure nearby civilians. Do you approve or disapprove of this policy?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
|
| Total approve |
35% |
30% |
48% |
19% |
33% |
|
| Total disapprove |
45% |
50% |
33% |
63% |
51% |
|
| Strongly approve |
11% |
7% |
16% |
4% |
15% |
|
| Approve |
24% |
23% |
32% |
15% |
18% |
|
| Disapprove |
28% |
32% |
25% |
24% |
26% |
|
| Strongly disapprove |
17% |
18% |
8% |
39% |
25% |
|
| Don’t know |
21% |
19% |
19% |
18% |
16% |
35% approve of the US policy of targeting terrorists with remote controlled drone strikes and 45% disapprove.
A majority of Labor voters (50%), Greens voters (63%) and other voters (51%) disapprove while Liberal/National voters were more likely to approve (48% approve/33% disapprove).
Men were more likely to approve (47% approve/39% disapprove) while women were more likely to disapprove (23% approve/51% disapprove).
10 September 2012, 100912, afghanistan, increase troops, keep troops, troops, War on terror, withdraw troops
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
|
21 Jun 2010 |
9 May 2011 |
21 Nov 2011 |
19 Mar 2012 |
This week 10 Sept 2012 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan |
7% |
6% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
5% |
6% |
3% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan |
24% |
36% |
22% |
22% |
23% |
23% |
27% |
20% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan |
61% |
48% |
64% |
64% |
62% |
60% |
58% |
65% |
| Don’t know |
8% |
11% |
11% |
10% |
11% |
12% |
9% |
12% |
There is little change in respondents’ positions on troops in Afghanistan. Compared to the last time the question was polled six months ago in March 2012, 4% still believe that we should increase the number of troops. Belief that we should maintain the same number of troops increased 1% to 23% and belief that we should withdraw troops fell just 2 points from 64% in March 2012 to 62%.
Looking at the results by voting intention, Coalition voters were the most in favour of maintaining troop numbers (27%) compared to Labor voters (23%) and Greens voters (20%). Greens voters were the most likely to want to withdraw troops from Afghanistan (65%) when compared with Labor voters (60%) and Coalition voters (58%).
19 March 2012, 190312, afghanistan, Australian Defence Force, Australian Military, Australian troops, Polling, polls, Troops in Afghanistan
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
|
25 Oct 2010 |
21 Mar 2011 |
29 Aug |
21 Nov |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan |
10% |
5% |
4% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
6% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan |
30% |
30% |
26% |
22% |
22% |
21% |
27% |
18% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan |
47% |
56% |
64% |
64% |
64% |
64% |
62% |
69% |
| Don’t know |
14% |
9% |
7% |
11% |
10% |
11% |
7% |
6% |
64% (no change since November 2011) think Australia should withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, 22% (no change) think we should maintain troop numbers and 4% (up 1%) think we should increase them.
In the past 12 months, support for withdrawal of Australian troops has increased from 56% to 64%. There was majority support for withdrawal by all voting groups – 62% of Lib/Nat voters, 64% Labor and 69% Greens. Support for withdrawal was 71% among people aged 55+ and women were more likely than men to support withdrawal of troops (69% to 59%).
afghanistan, Afghanistan War, army, Australian troops, Greens, Labor, Liberals, military, Nationals, Polling, polls, war
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
| 25 Oct 2010 | 21 Mar 2011 | 29 Aug 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan | 10% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan | 30% | 30% | 26% | 22% | 21% | 29% | 11% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan | 47% | 56% | 64% | 64% | 66% | 57% | 76% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 9% | 7% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
64% (no change) think Australia should withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, 22% (down 4%) think we should maintain troop numbers and 3% (down 1%) think we should increase them.
Since October last year, support for withdrawal of Australian troops has increased from 47% to 64%. There was majority support for withdrawal by all voting groups – 57% of Lib/Nat voters, 66% Labor and 76% Greens. Support for withdrawal was also similar across age groups but women were more likely than men to support withdrawal of troops (72% to 55%).
ADF, afghanistan, Afghanistan War, Australian Defence Force, Australian troops, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, Troops in Afghanistan
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
| 25 Oct 10 | 21 Mar 11 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan | 10% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 8% | 1% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan | 30% | 30% | 36% | 37% | 43% | 25% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan | 47% | 56% | 48% | 49% | 41% | 65% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 9% |
42% think that the Australian troops in Afghanistan should be increased or maintained and 48% think Australia should withdraw its troops. This is a significant drop (-8%) in support for withdrawal since this question was last asked in March.
afghanistan, Afghanistan War, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Polling, polls, troops, Troops in Afghanistan
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
| 25 Oct 2010 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan | 10% | 5% | 7% | 6% | 1% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan | 30% | 30% | 26% | 39% | 16% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan | 47% | 56% | 62% | 48% | 74% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 9% | 5% | 7% | 9% |
35% think that the Australian troops in Afghanistan should be increased or maintained and 56% think Australia should withdraw its troops. This is a significant shift (+9%) in favour of withdrawal since this question was last asked in October 2010.
62% of Labor voters and 74% of Greens voters support withdrawal. Liberal/National voters are split – 48% support withdrawal and 45 support increasing/maintaining troop numbers.
Males were more likely than females to state that Australia should increase the number of troops in Afghanistan (9% compared to 2% of females) or keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan (36% compared to 24% of females).
However, the majority of both males (49%) and females (63%) think Australia should withdraw troops from Afghanistan.