The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Oct, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Importance of relationships with other countries

    Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?

     

    Very important

    Quite important

    Not very important

    Don’t know

     

    Very Important 28 Mar 11  

    Very Important 14 Nov 11  

    Change

    United States

    55%

    36%

    5%

    3%

    60%

    55%

    New Zealand

    54%

    36%

    7%

    3%

    69%

    61%

    -7

    United Kingdom

    47%

    44%

    6%

    3%

    56%

    47%

    China

    45%

    44%

    6%

    4%

    48%

    48%

    -3

    Indonesia

    33%

    43%

    18%

    5%

    31%

    27%

    +6

    Japan

    31%

    52%

    12%

    5%

    39%

    32%

    -1

    India

    26%

    45%

    22%

    6%

    26%

    23%

    +3

    Germany

    20%

    44%

    29%

    7%

    23%

    18%

    +2

    South Africa

    14%

    35%

    43%

    8%

    16%

    12%

    +2

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the New Zealand (54%) and the United States (55%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with the China (45%) and the United Kingdom (47%).

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 60% of Liberal/National voters, 60% of Labor voters and 43% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked last November, there have been decreases in the rating of the importance of relations with New Zealand (-7%) and an increase in the rating of the importance of relations with Indonesia (+6%).

  • Oct, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Change in relationships with other countries

    Q. Would you like to see Australia’s relationship with these countries get closer, stay the same or become less close?

     

    Get closer

    Stay the same

    Become less close

    Don’t know

     

    Get closer

    28 Mar 11

    Get closer

    14 Nov 11

    Change

    China

    29%

    50%

    9%

    12%

    32%

    35%

    -6

    New Zealand

    26%

    59%

    4%

    11%

    37%

    33%

    -7

    Indonesia

    25%

    47%

    16%

    12%

    21%

    23%

    +2

    India

    24%

    47%

    15%

    14%

    19%

    23%

    +1

    Japan

    22%

    59%

    7%

    13%

    26%

    24%

    -2

    United Kingdom

    21%

    62%

    6%

    10%

    25%

    19%

    +2

    United States

    21%

    59%

    10%

    10%

    24%

    18%

    +3

    Germany

    18%

    59%

    7%

    16%

    18%

    20%

    -2

    South Africa

    12%

    57%

    14%

    16%

    13%

    14%

    -2

    29% favour closer relations with China, 26% with New Zealand, 25% with Indonesia and 24% with India.

    Liberal/National voters are more likely to favour closer relationships with United States (25%).

    Greens voters are more likely to favour closer relationships with Indonesia (34%), Japan (34%) and India (44%),

    Since this question was asked last year, the percentages wanting a closer relationship with the China (-7%) and the New Zealand (-6%) have declined.

  • Jul, 2012

    , , ,

    Spanish Swoon Taking Germany Down

    It’s one thing for the bond market vigilantes to try to skin the people of Spain. But, uh oh, Germany is another issue — and you should care about this little new twist because it will reverberate around the world.

    I’m not a fan of Moody’s, largely because it sat around rating as AAA all those bad mortgages that ended up creating the Global Financial Crisis. But, the ratings agency still has sway so, shudder hard at this report:

    The ratings firm Moody’s Investors Service late Monday dimmed its outlook on Germany, the euro zone’s dominant economic power and political force, further exposing the currency bloc’s fragility on a day that also saw markets drop around the world on fears about Europe.

    Moody’s cited the huge potential cost of a euro breakup and, alternatively, the steep bill that would be paid to hold it together.

    The warning to Germany followed a dramatic flight by investors from Spanish bonds Monday, leaving the euro zone’s fourth-largest economy at grave risk of needing a bailout and sparking a selloff on global markets.

    Remember the recent story. China is slowing. The mining boom will not last forever. If you add to that Germany — Germany!!! — at risk…cover your eyes from the unfolding disaster.

  • Mar, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Importance of Relationships with Other Countries

    Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?

    Very important Quite important Not very important Don’t know Very Important 15 Nov Change
    New Zealand 69% 24% 4% 3% 54% +15
    United States 60% 33% 5% 2% 56% +4
    United Kingdom 56% 35% 6% 3% 44% +12
    China 48% 42% 6% 4% 45% +3
    Japan 39% 47% 9% 4% 30% +9
    Indonesia 31% 43% 20% 6% 30% +1
    India 26% 42% 26% 5% 24% +2
    Germany 23% 42% 29% 6% 15% +8
    South Africa 16% 36% 39% 8% 12% +4

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the New Zealand (69%), United States (60%) and the United Kingdom (56%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with China (48%).

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 70% of Liberal/National voters and 57% of Labor voters and 48% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked in November, there have been substantial increases in the rating of the importance of relations with New Zealand (+15%), United Kingdom (+12%) and Japan (+9%).

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Change in Relationships with Other Countries

    Q. Would you like to see Australia’s relationship with these countries get closer, stay the same or become less close?

    Get closer Stay the same Become less close Don’t know Get closer

    15 Nov

    Change
    New Zealand 37% 55% 3% 5% 29% +8
    China 32% 52% 9% 7% 30% +2
    Japan 26% 59% 8% 7% 21% +5
    United Kingdom 25% 62% 7% 5% 20% +5
    United States 24% 61% 11% 5% 20% +4
    Indonesia 21% 51% 20% 8% 23% -2
    India 19% 53% 18% 9% 22% -3
    Germany 18% 62% 10% 10% 14% +4
    South Africa 13% 59% 17% 11% 11% +2

    37% think that Australia’s relationship with New Zealand should get closer and 32% think our relationship with China should get closer.

    Labor voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with China (31%) and New Zealand (31%).

    Liberal/National voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with New Zealand (42%) and United States (34%).

    Greens voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with New Zealand (43%), China (38%) and Japan (34%).

    Since this question was asked in November, the percentage wanting a closer relationship with New Zealand has increased 8%, and increased 5% for Japan and the United Kingdom.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

    , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Importance of Relationships with Other Countries

    Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?

    Very important Quite important Not very important Don’t know Very Important April 10 Change
    United States 56% 34% 5% 4% 59% -3
    New Zealand 54% 36% 6% 5% 56% -2
    China 45% 44% 5% 6% 51% -6
    United Kingdom 44% 43% 9% 4% 46% -2
    Japan 30% 53% 10% 7% 40% -10
    Indonesia 30% 48% 15% 7% 39% -9
    India 24% 45% 23% 8% 27% -3
    Germany 15% 43% 34% 9% 18% -3
    South Africa 12% 35% 43% 10% 12%

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the United States (56%) and New Zealand (54%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with China (45%) and United Kingdom (44%).

    A close relationship with the United Sates is considered very important by 65% of Liberal/National voters and 62% of Labor voters but only 37% of Greens voters. Greens voters consider relations with New Zealand (58%) and China (47%) more important.

    Since this question was asked in April, the overall rating of the importance of relations with other countries has dropped – especially for Japan (-10%) and Indonesia (-9%).

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

    , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Change in Relationships with Other Countries

    Q. Would you like to see Australia’s relationship with these countries get closer, stay the same or become less close?

    Get closer Stay the same Become less close Don’t know Get closer April 10 Change
    China 30% 50% 9% 11% 33% -3
    New Zealand 29% 58% 3% 11% 33% -4
    Indonesia 23% 49% 15% 13% 30% -7
    India 22% 50% 14% 14% 24% -2
    Japan 21% 58% 8% 13% 24% -3
    United States 20% 60% 11% 10% 24% -4
    United Kingdom 20% 63% 7% 10% 24% -4
    Germany 14% 62% 9% 15% 16% -2
    South Africa 11% 59% 14% 16% 13% -2

    30% think that Australia’s relationship with China should get closer and 29% think our relationship with New Zealand should get closer.

    Labor voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with China (32%) and New Zealand (29%).

    Liberal/National voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with New Zealand (29%) and China (28%).

    Greens  voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with China (38%), Indonesia (36%) and New Zealand (36%).

    Since this question was asked in April, the percentage wanting a closer relationship with Indonesia has dropped from 30% to 23%.

    Comments »

  • Apr, 2010

    , , , , , , , , ,

    Australia’s relations with other nations

    Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?

      Very important Quite important Not very important Don’t know
    United States 59% 33% 4% 4%
    New Zealand 56% 34% 6% 5%
    China 51% 36% 7% 5%
    United Kingdom 46% 41% 9% 5%
    Indonesia 40% 40% 13% 7%
    Japan 39% 48% 8% 5%
    India 27% 44% 21% 7%
    Germany 18% 44% 29% 8%
    South Africa 12% 41% 39% 8%

     Over half think that it is very important for Australia to have a close relationship with the United States (59%), New Zealand (56%) and China (51%).

     Labor voters were more likely to think a close relationship with China is very important (56%) while Green voters were more likely to think it is not very important (15%).

     Labor voters were more likely to think relations with Indonesia are very important (48%) and relations with India are quite important (51%). 

    Coalition voters were more likely to think Australia’s relations with India are not very important (26%). However, these voters were more likely to think Australia’s relations with the United Kingdom (52%) and the United States (68%) are very important.  Comments »

Error: