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%).
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.
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%).
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.
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%).
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%.
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 »
Australia’s relations with other nations
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 | |
| China | 33% | 45% | 13% | 9% |
| New Zealand | 33% | 56% | 2% | 8% |
| Indonesia | 30% | 48% | 12% | 10% |
| United States | 24% | 59% | 9% | 8% |
| United Kingdom | 24% | 62% | 5% | 8% |
| India | 24% | 50% | 16% | 10% |
| Japan | 24% | 59% | 8% | 10% |
| Germany | 16% | 65% | 7% | 12% |
| South Africa | 13% | 63% | 12% | 12% |
When it comes to Australia’s relationship getting closer with various countries, 33% think Australia’s relations with China should get closer, 45% think our relations with China should stay the same and 13% think they should become less close.
33% support a closer relationship with New Zealand and 30% support a closer relationship with Indonesia. The country that scores the highest in terms of one which Australia should become less close with is India (16%).
Labor (36%) voters were more likely to think that Australia’s relations with China should become closer, while Coalition (17%) and Greens (23%) voters were more likely to think it should be less close.
Labor voters were more likely to think Australia’s relations with India should stay the same (55%), while Coalition voters were more likely to think they should become less close (20%). Comments »
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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