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Importance of international relationships

5 May 2015

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

  Very import-ant Quite import-ant Not very import-ant Don’t know   Very impor-tant

Mar 11

Very import-ant

Nov 13

Very import-ant

Oct 14

Very import-ant

Feb 15

Change
United States 44% 41% 8% 8% 60% 59% 53% 44%
China 39% 44% 6% 10% 48% 54% 44% 41% -2
United Kingdom 39% 43% 9% 10% 56% 48% 48% 38% +1
Japan 31% 52% 6% 11% 39% 35% 31% 30% +1
Canada 24% 45% 18% 13% na na 26% 22% +2
India 22% 47% 17% 14% 26% 26% 22% 20% +2
Indonesia 21% 40% 27% 12% 31% 40% 32% 22% -1
Germany 20% 47% 19% 14% 23% 20% 22% 18% +2
Saudi Arabia 14% 40% 30% 16% na na 17% 12% +2
Russia 13% 38% 33% 16% na na 16% 11% +2

44% of respondents think it is very important to have a close relationship with the United States and 39% think it is very important to have a close relationship with China and the United Kingdom. Relations with Russia (13%) and Saudi Arabia (14%) were thought to be the least important.

A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 51% of Liberal/National voters, 48% of Labor voters and 29% of Greens voters.

Since this question was asked in February, there has been little change in importance of relations for all countries.

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