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  • Oct, 2012

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    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%).

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