The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jun, 2021

    , ,

    Most beneficial country to strengthen our relationship with

    Q. Given the choice between the United States of America and China, with which country do you think it would be most beneficial for Australia to strengthen our relationship?

      Jun’21 May’20 Aug’19
    United States of America 57% 42% 38%
    China 14% 18% 28%
    Neither 15% 24% 18%
    Don’t know 14% 16% 15%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,087 1,096
    • 57% of Australians now think it would be most beneficial to strengthen our relationship with the US, a proportion that has been increasing since August 2019.
    • Only 14% think Australia should strengthen our relationship with China over the US (a decrease from 28% in 2019). A further 15% think Australia should strengthen our relationship with neither country, and a similar proportion (14%) don’t know.
    TOTAL Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    United States of America 57% 62% 52% 44% 57% 69% 55% 69% 37% 61%
    China 14% 14% 13% 18% 13% 11% 16% 11% 24% 9%
    Neither 15% 15% 15% 19% 17% 10% 17% 10% 19% 23%
    Don’t know 14% 9% 20% 20% 13% 10% 12% 10% 21% 7%
    Base (n) 1,087 527 560 328 374 385 378 407 98 102
    • Across party lines, all voters are now more likely to think we should strengthen our relationship with the US compared to last May.
  • Feb, 2015

    Importance of international relationships

    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 Import-ant

    Mar 11

    Very Import-ant

    Nov 13

    Very Import-ant

    Jun 14

    Very Import-ant

    Oct 14

    Change

    United States

    44%

    40%

    7%

    8%

    60%

    59%

    57%

    53%

    -9

    China

    41%

    41%

    8%

    9%

    48%

    54%

    46%

    44%

    -3

    United Kingdom

    38%

    41%

    12%

    9%

    56%

    48%

    48%

    48%

    -10

    Japan

    30%

    50%

    9%

    11%

    39%

    35%

    32%

    31%

    -1

    Indonesia

    22%

    44%

    23%

    11%

    31%

    40%

    35%

    32%

    -10

    Canada

    22%

    43%

    23%

    12%

    na

    na

    28%

    26%

    -4

    India

    20%

    47%

    21%

    12%

    26%

    26%

    23%

    22%

    -2

    Germany

    18%

    43%

    26%

    13%

    23%

    20%

    21%

    22%

    -4

    Saudi Arabia

    12%

    39%

    35%

    14%

    na

    na

    na

    17%

    -5

    Russia

    11%

    33%

    43%

    13%

    na

    na

    na

    16%

    -5

    44% of respondents think it is very important to have a close relationship with the United States and 41% think it is very important to have a close relationship with China. Relations with Russia (11%) and Saudi Arabia (12%) were thought to be the least important.

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 50% of Liberal/National voters, 47% of Labor voters and 36% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked in October, there has been a decrease in the rating of the importance of relations for all countries – especially United Kingdom and Indonesia (both down 10%).

  • Oct, 2013

    , ,

    International Relations (importance of relationships)

    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 Import
    ant

    (28 Mar 11)

    Very Import
    ant

    (14 Nov 11)

    Very Import
    ant

    (29 Oct 12)

    Change – Oct 12 to Oct 13

    United States

    51%

    38%

    6%

    4%

    60%

    55%

    55%

    -4%

    New Zealand

    56%

    32%

    8%

    4%

    69%

    61%

    54%

    2%

    United Kingdom

    42%

    43%

    11%

    4%

    56%

    47%

    47%

    -5%

    China

    46%

    42%

    8%

    5%

    48%

    48%

    45%

    1%

    Indonesia

    35%

    41%

    18%

    6%

    31%

    27%

    33%

    2%

    Japan

    27%

    52%

    15%

    6%

    39%

    32%

    31%

    -4%

    India

    19%

    41%

    32%

    8%

    26%

    23%

    26%

    -7%

    Germany

    17%

    38%

    35%

    9%

    23%

    18%

    20%

    -3%

    South Africa

    12%

    32%

    45%

    12%

    16%

    12%

    14%

    -2%

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the New Zealand (56%) and the United States (51%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with  China (46%) and the United Kingdom (42%).

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 62% of Liberal/National voters, 47% of Labor voters and 41% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked last October, there have been decreases in the rating of the importance of relations with India (-7%) and the United Kingdom (-5%). There have been only very slight increases in the importance of the relationship with Indonesia (+2%) and New Zealand (+2%).

  • 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.

  • Nov, 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 28 Mar Change
    New Zealand 61% 31% 5% 3% 69% -8
    United States 55% 37% 4% 3% 60% -5
    China 48% 44% 5% 3% 48%
    United Kingdom 47% 43% 7% 3% 56% -9
    Japan 32% 53% 11% 4% 39% -7
    Indonesia 27% 49% 19% 5% 31% -4
    India 23% 48% 24% 6% 26% -3
    Germany 18% 44% 32% 6% 23% -5
    South Africa 12% 37% 42% 8% 16% -4

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the New Zealand (61%) and the United States (55%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with the China (48%) and the United Kingdom (47%).

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 60% of Liberal/National voters, 58% of Labor voters and 42% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked in March, there have been substantial decreases in the rating of the importance of relations with New Zealand (-8%), United Kingdom (-9%) and Japan (-7%). The importance of relations with all other listed countries has also fallen a little – with the exception of China which is unchanged. China is now ranked above United Kingdom in importance.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 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

    28 Mar

    Change
    China 35% 48% 9% 8% 32% +3
    New Zealand 33% 57% 3% 8% 37% -4
    Japan 24% 59% 7% 9% 26% -2
    India 23% 50% 16% 12% 19% +4
    Indonesia 23% 48% 20% 10% 21% +2
    Germany 20% 58% 10% 12% 18% +2
    United Kingdom 19% 67% 7% 7% 25% -6
    United States 18% 63% 12% 7% 24% -6
    South Africa 14% 58% 14% 14% 13% +1

    35% think that Australia’s relationship with China should get closer and 33% think our relationship with New Zealand should get closer.

    Labor voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with China (41%) and New Zealand (37%).

    Liberal/National voters are also most likely to favour closer relationships with China (34%) and New Zealand (29%).

    Greens voters are most likely to favour closer relationships with New Zealand (47%), Indonesia (40%) and China (31%).

    Since this question was asked in March, the percentage wanting a closer relationship with the United Kingdom and the United States has declined 6%.

    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 »

Error: