- Australians believe China can claim the title of ‘Australia’s best friend in Asia’
- The majority of Australians believe it is acceptable to spy on China, Indonesia and East Timor
- 45 per cent of Australians now see global warming as a ‘serious and pressing problem’
- 71 per cent of Australians agree the government should turn back boats when safe to do so
The Lowy Insitute's annual poll found that the country's negative attitude towards Indonesia remained in place while asylum seekers ranked among people's primary concerns.
The poll, the tenth conducted by the Institute, was based on a telephone survey of 1000 Australian adults undertaken between February 12 and 27. An additional 150 people aged bwteen 18 and 29 years were surveyed on additional issues.
The report can be read in full at the end of the article.
Australia and Indonesia
Forty per cent of Australians believe that the nation’s relations with Indonesia are deteriorating as Prime Minister Tony Abbott flies out to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The meeting, their first in six months, follows a series of setbacks in relations including January’s confirmation that Australian boats had intruded into Indonesian waters as part of Operation Sovereign Borders.
The meeting is also the first between the leaders following the spying scandal which emerged in NOvember, following leaked documents showing Australian officials had attempted to spy on the Indonesian leader in 2009.
Just 7 per cent of Australians reported that relations between the countries were improving, a drop of almost 75 per cent from 2008 findings.
Respondents also listed Indonesia as Australia’s fifth best friend in Asia.
NIne per cent of Australians believe Indonesia is Australia’s best friend in Asia, behind China on 31 per cent and Japan on 28 per cent.
The survey found that 62 per cent of Australians believed it was acceptable to spy on Indonesia, compared to 54 per cent on the US and 51 per cent on New Zealand.
The findings follow the Edward Snowden revelations of November, when documents leaked by the former contractor at the US National Security Agency showed Australian intelligence attempted to listen in to Mr Yudhoyono's telephone conversations on at least one occasion and tracked activity on his mobile phone for 15 days in August 2009.
Although Indonesia has since returned its recalled ambassador, the Lowy Institute’s polling director Alex Oliver said Indonesia remained “one of the more problematic relationships”.
“The trend over the last 10 years of our polling has found quite stubbornly entrenched and quite negative attitudes towards Indonesia,” she said.
Ms Oliver said previous polling undertaken in Indonesia had found more positive views towards Australia, though conceded the last poll was in 2011 prior to recent setbacks.
The survey also found that 75 per cent of Australians believe that relations between the two countries should focus on security and terrorism, while 73 per cent believe asylum seekers should be the primary concern.
When forced to choose a single issue to prioritise, the majority chose asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers
The Lowy Institute described the response on asylum seeker policy as a “strong endorsement” for the policies of the Abbot Government, with 71 per cent stating that the government should turn back boats when safe to do so.
Fifty-nine per cent of Australians also reported that asylum seekers should continue to be processed offshore, despite the death of Iranian asylum seeker Reza Berati on Manus Island which occurred partway through the Institute’s fieldwork.
Consensus differed in regards to the ongoing policy that no asylum seeker arriving by boat should be allowed to settle in Australia, with 57 per cent of Australians disagreeing.
However the overall result was one of support for the Abbott Government and Operation Sovereign Borders, Ms Oliver said.
“Our polling this year on asylum seekers has shown strong support for those sovereign borders policy of turning back boats where it’s strong to do so and similarly strong support for offshore processing,” she said.
“[Tony Abbott] goes to Indonesia with that knowledge and that backing of his policy.”
Asylum seekers also rated among the top perceived threats to Australia’s vital interests, with 48 per cent listing it as a concern behind international terrorism and cyber-attacks.
Immigration and population size
The Institute also explored attitudes towards immigration, finding that 47 per cent of Australians believe that the level of immigration is “about right”.
Thirty-seven per cent said it was too high and half of those listed “too much cultural diversity” as a concern.
Ms Oliver told SBS that the issue of Australia’s multiculturalism was a very low concern, behind fears over employment, environment and overcrowding.
“The two tops reasons were squarely focused on jobs,” she said.
“… Of lowest concern was that sense that Australia is already too culturally diverse.”
Ms Oliver said attitudes on immigration levels tied in with their feelings about population size, which 76 per cent of people believed should be approximately 30, 40 or 50 million people.
Climate change
The poll also reported the first rise in concern over climate change since 2006, when it peaked at 68 per cent.
Forty-five per cent of the population now see global warming as a “serious and pressing concern”, up 5 points from the 2013 survey.
The results come one day after US President Barack Obama announced an ambitious plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants by 30 per cent by 2030.
A further 63 per cent of Australians believe the country should be “take a leadership role in reducing emissions”, while less than half that figure believe Australia should wait for international consensus.
Ms Oliver said the reason for the increase was “anyone’s guess”, but it was clear it should be of concern to the Prime Minister.
“It may be the weather, it may be the change in government, it may be a sense that the carbon policies on the table have not actually been addressing what a significant proportion of Australians see as a serious problem,” she said.
“… Our Prime Minister should take that into account, that rising concern.”
Addressing media in Canberra this morning, Mr Abbott indicated that climate change would not be discussed at the upcoming G20 summit, saying the focus would remain on economics.
“It's important that we keep a strong and focused agenda if we are to achieve anything significant,” he said.
“I'd be surprised if climate change doesn't come up as part of the G20 - but the focus of the G20 will overwhelmingly be our economic security.”
Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove said climate change was an issue that all politicians should be focussing on.
“After a long period of turning off, Australians are turning back on to climate change as a serious and pressing problem,” he said.
“… Climate change is back as a political issue.”
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