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The Advertiser
15-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Global doom and gloom sinks Aussie economic optimism
Tariffs and global conflict have knocked Australians' optimism in the economy and trust in the US to 20-year lows, a long-running poll by an independent think tank shows. Since it began in 2005, the Lowy Institute Poll of Australians' attitudes to the world has never been so bleak. Trade turmoil and ongoing cost-of-living pressures were having a negative impact on household confidence even before President Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced on April 2, after the survey had been in the field. A little over half of respondents (52 per cent) said they were optimistic about Australia's economic performance over the next five years, the least since the poll began in 2005 and in line with attitudes during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Young Australians aged 18-29 felt the least optimistic about the economy, while Labor voters were more confident than Liberal and Greens-voting counterparts. Feelings of pessimism reflected a precarious moment, with the world order that had served Australia's interests well since the end of World War II beset on all sides, said Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove. "Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly - the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll," said Dr Fullilove. But Australians are even less trusting of China - the nation's largest trading partner - as military tensions over the fate of Taiwan ramp up. Only 16 per cent of respondents had confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing, compared to a quarter who had confidence in Mr Trump. Ongoing distrust in China, which conducted navy live-fire drills off Australian waters shortly before the poll was conducted, was contributing to sustained belief in the importance of the Australia-US alliance, despite distrust in Mr Trump, Dr Fullilove said. Amid rising authoritarianism around the globe, Australians have never been more firm in their support for democracy, with 74 per cent believing it is preferable to any other kind of government. "Australians lean towards co-operation," Dr Fullilove said. "They feel most comfortable with fellow liberal democracies such as Japan and New Zealand, but remain circumspect towards two regional powers, India and Indonesia." Overwhelmingly Australians were in favour of making more goods in Australia, even if they cost more (83 per cent), and distrustful of social media's impact on democracy (70 per cent). Those figures will be encouraging for the federal government and its flagship policies to ban children from using social media and promote domestic manufacturing. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Lowy Institute by the Social Research Centre, which surveyed 2117 Australian residents aged 18 and above between March 3 and 16. Tariffs and global conflict have knocked Australians' optimism in the economy and trust in the US to 20-year lows, a long-running poll by an independent think tank shows. Since it began in 2005, the Lowy Institute Poll of Australians' attitudes to the world has never been so bleak. Trade turmoil and ongoing cost-of-living pressures were having a negative impact on household confidence even before President Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced on April 2, after the survey had been in the field. A little over half of respondents (52 per cent) said they were optimistic about Australia's economic performance over the next five years, the least since the poll began in 2005 and in line with attitudes during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Young Australians aged 18-29 felt the least optimistic about the economy, while Labor voters were more confident than Liberal and Greens-voting counterparts. Feelings of pessimism reflected a precarious moment, with the world order that had served Australia's interests well since the end of World War II beset on all sides, said Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove. "Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly - the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll," said Dr Fullilove. But Australians are even less trusting of China - the nation's largest trading partner - as military tensions over the fate of Taiwan ramp up. Only 16 per cent of respondents had confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing, compared to a quarter who had confidence in Mr Trump. Ongoing distrust in China, which conducted navy live-fire drills off Australian waters shortly before the poll was conducted, was contributing to sustained belief in the importance of the Australia-US alliance, despite distrust in Mr Trump, Dr Fullilove said. Amid rising authoritarianism around the globe, Australians have never been more firm in their support for democracy, with 74 per cent believing it is preferable to any other kind of government. "Australians lean towards co-operation," Dr Fullilove said. "They feel most comfortable with fellow liberal democracies such as Japan and New Zealand, but remain circumspect towards two regional powers, India and Indonesia." Overwhelmingly Australians were in favour of making more goods in Australia, even if they cost more (83 per cent), and distrustful of social media's impact on democracy (70 per cent). Those figures will be encouraging for the federal government and its flagship policies to ban children from using social media and promote domestic manufacturing. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Lowy Institute by the Social Research Centre, which surveyed 2117 Australian residents aged 18 and above between March 3 and 16. Tariffs and global conflict have knocked Australians' optimism in the economy and trust in the US to 20-year lows, a long-running poll by an independent think tank shows. Since it began in 2005, the Lowy Institute Poll of Australians' attitudes to the world has never been so bleak. Trade turmoil and ongoing cost-of-living pressures were having a negative impact on household confidence even before President Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced on April 2, after the survey had been in the field. A little over half of respondents (52 per cent) said they were optimistic about Australia's economic performance over the next five years, the least since the poll began in 2005 and in line with attitudes during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Young Australians aged 18-29 felt the least optimistic about the economy, while Labor voters were more confident than Liberal and Greens-voting counterparts. Feelings of pessimism reflected a precarious moment, with the world order that had served Australia's interests well since the end of World War II beset on all sides, said Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove. "Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly - the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll," said Dr Fullilove. But Australians are even less trusting of China - the nation's largest trading partner - as military tensions over the fate of Taiwan ramp up. Only 16 per cent of respondents had confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing, compared to a quarter who had confidence in Mr Trump. Ongoing distrust in China, which conducted navy live-fire drills off Australian waters shortly before the poll was conducted, was contributing to sustained belief in the importance of the Australia-US alliance, despite distrust in Mr Trump, Dr Fullilove said. Amid rising authoritarianism around the globe, Australians have never been more firm in their support for democracy, with 74 per cent believing it is preferable to any other kind of government. "Australians lean towards co-operation," Dr Fullilove said. "They feel most comfortable with fellow liberal democracies such as Japan and New Zealand, but remain circumspect towards two regional powers, India and Indonesia." Overwhelmingly Australians were in favour of making more goods in Australia, even if they cost more (83 per cent), and distrustful of social media's impact on democracy (70 per cent). Those figures will be encouraging for the federal government and its flagship policies to ban children from using social media and promote domestic manufacturing. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Lowy Institute by the Social Research Centre, which surveyed 2117 Australian residents aged 18 and above between March 3 and 16. Tariffs and global conflict have knocked Australians' optimism in the economy and trust in the US to 20-year lows, a long-running poll by an independent think tank shows. Since it began in 2005, the Lowy Institute Poll of Australians' attitudes to the world has never been so bleak. Trade turmoil and ongoing cost-of-living pressures were having a negative impact on household confidence even before President Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced on April 2, after the survey had been in the field. A little over half of respondents (52 per cent) said they were optimistic about Australia's economic performance over the next five years, the least since the poll began in 2005 and in line with attitudes during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Young Australians aged 18-29 felt the least optimistic about the economy, while Labor voters were more confident than Liberal and Greens-voting counterparts. Feelings of pessimism reflected a precarious moment, with the world order that had served Australia's interests well since the end of World War II beset on all sides, said Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove. "Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly - the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll," said Dr Fullilove. But Australians are even less trusting of China - the nation's largest trading partner - as military tensions over the fate of Taiwan ramp up. Only 16 per cent of respondents had confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing, compared to a quarter who had confidence in Mr Trump. Ongoing distrust in China, which conducted navy live-fire drills off Australian waters shortly before the poll was conducted, was contributing to sustained belief in the importance of the Australia-US alliance, despite distrust in Mr Trump, Dr Fullilove said. Amid rising authoritarianism around the globe, Australians have never been more firm in their support for democracy, with 74 per cent believing it is preferable to any other kind of government. "Australians lean towards co-operation," Dr Fullilove said. "They feel most comfortable with fellow liberal democracies such as Japan and New Zealand, but remain circumspect towards two regional powers, India and Indonesia." Overwhelmingly Australians were in favour of making more goods in Australia, even if they cost more (83 per cent), and distrustful of social media's impact on democracy (70 per cent). Those figures will be encouraging for the federal government and its flagship policies to ban children from using social media and promote domestic manufacturing. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Lowy Institute by the Social Research Centre, which surveyed 2117 Australian residents aged 18 and above between March 3 and 16.
Perth Now
15-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Global doom and gloom sinks Aussie economic optimism
Tariffs and global conflict have knocked Australians' optimism in the economy and trust in the US to 20-year lows, a long-running poll by an independent think tank shows. Since it began in 2005, the Lowy Institute Poll of Australians' attitudes to the world has never been so bleak. Trade turmoil and ongoing cost-of-living pressures were having a negative impact on household confidence even before President Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced on April 2, after the survey had been in the field. A little over half of respondents (52 per cent) said they were optimistic about Australia's economic performance over the next five years, the least since the poll began in 2005 and in line with attitudes during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Young Australians aged 18-29 felt the least optimistic about the economy, while Labor voters were more confident than Liberal and Greens-voting counterparts. Feelings of pessimism reflected a precarious moment, with the world order that had served Australia's interests well since the end of World War II beset on all sides, said Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove. "Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly - the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll," said Dr Fullilove. But Australians are even less trusting of China - the nation's largest trading partner - as military tensions over the fate of Taiwan ramp up. Only 16 per cent of respondents had confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing, compared to a quarter who had confidence in Mr Trump. Ongoing distrust in China, which conducted navy live-fire drills off Australian waters shortly before the poll was conducted, was contributing to sustained belief in the importance of the Australia-US alliance, despite distrust in Mr Trump, Dr Fullilove said. Amid rising authoritarianism around the globe, Australians have never been more firm in their support for democracy, with 74 per cent believing it is preferable to any other kind of government. "Australians lean towards co-operation," Dr Fullilove said. "They feel most comfortable with fellow liberal democracies such as Japan and New Zealand, but remain circumspect towards two regional powers, India and Indonesia." Overwhelmingly Australians were in favour of making more goods in Australia, even if they cost more (83 per cent), and distrustful of social media's impact on democracy (70 per cent). Those figures will be encouraging for the federal government and its flagship policies to ban children from using social media and promote domestic manufacturing. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Lowy Institute by the Social Research Centre, which surveyed 2117 Australian residents aged 18 and above between March 3 and 16.
Perth Now
15-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Aussies' trust in US plummets to record low
Only 36 per cent of Australians have any faith the US will act responsibly in the world, a 20 point drop since last year, shocking new polling has revealed. The Lowy Institute's 2025 Poll, touted as the broadest annual survey of Australian attitudes, reveals Australians' feelings of safety and economic optimism have fallen to their lowest levels in the 21-year history of the poll. Trust in the US was a record low in the poll, however the nation is still seen as key to ensuring our security, Lowy Institute executive director, Michael Fullilove said 'Australians are clearly unsettled by what they've seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly — the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll,' Dr Fullilove said. 'At the same time, the public continues to separate the person of the president from the institution of the alliance. 'Most Australians (80 per cent) still believe the Australia-US alliance is important to our security - one of the most consistent findings in the history of the Institute's polling.' The polling did however find that 40 per cent of Australians believed we needed to distance ourselves more from the US. Trust in China was also at dire levels, with only 20 per cent of those surveyed expressing any trust whatsoever. The polling surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2117 Australian adults in early March. The polling has a 2.1 per cent margin of error. Only half of Australians reported feeling any level of optimism about the five-year economic outlook, equalling the pandemic doldrums of 2020, and the pessimistic result was recorded before President Trump's 'liberation day' global tariffs rocked financial markets. The concern about global trade has sharpened the desire to manufacture more domestically. More than 80 per cent of Australians feel more should be built onshore even if it costs more, while just 16 per cent of people say Australia should source all goods from wherever they cost the least. The polling shows serious concerns about Australia's economic future. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Half of the country believes immediate steps should be taken to address global warming even if it involves significant cost. 'As Australia moves towards net zero emissions, three-quarters of Australians see renewables playing a 'major role' in the 2050 energy mix, compared to far fewer that envisage a major role for nuclear (37 per cent) or coal (24 per cent),' Dr Fullilove said. Six months out from the under-16s social media ban taking effect, 70 per cent of respondents say social media does more harm than good.
The Advertiser
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Australia to go all in for AUKUS despite US review
Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal".
AllAfrica
22-04-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
Australians hate Trump's policies and distrust US: poll
Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute's 2025 poll. Despite this, 80% of people say the alliance is 'very' or 'fairly' important for Australia's security, only fractionally down on last year's 83%. The poll also found people nearly evenly divided on whether Peter Dutton (35%) or Anthony Albanese (34%) would be the better leader to manage Australia's relations with Trump. But Albanese rated much more strongly than Dutton as better able to manage Australia's relationship with China and President Xi Jinping (45% to 25%). 2025 Lowy Institute Poll Albanese was also well ahead (41%-29%) when people were asked who would be more competent at handling Australia's foreign policy over the next three years. The poll comes as the 'Trump effect' has overshadowed the campaign and increasingly worked against Dutton. Labor has cast Dutton as having looked to the US for policies, such as his proposed cuts to the public service. It has labelled him 'DOGEy Dutton', a reference to Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Lowy poll of 2,117 people was taken between March 3 and 16. This was after Trump had announced plans for a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports, and other tariffs, but before his 'Liberation Day' regime, which saw a 10% general tariff hitting all countries. 2025 Lowy Institute Poll Trust in the US has plummeted since the last Lowy poll in 2024, with nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) having little or no trust in the US to act responsibly in the world, compared with 44% a year before. This is a new low in the poll's two-decade history. Trust fell dramatically among older voters. Trust was already relatively low among younger voters, and fell by a smaller margin. On various Trump stances, the poll found Australians most disapproving (89%) of Trump's pressure on Denmark to sell or hand over its self-governing territory of Greenland to the US. 2025 Lowy Institute Poll More than eight in ten (81%) disapproved of Trump's use of tariffs to pressure other countries to comply with his administration's objectives. Three-quarters disapproved of the US withdrawing from the World Health Organization (76%) and from international climate change agreements (74%). In addition, three-quarters (74%) disapproved of Trump negotiating a deal on the future of Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin that might require Ukraine to accept a loss of territory. The dramatic Oval Office showdown between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance took place just before the survey. Australians also disapproved of the US cutting spending on foreign aid (64%) and undertaking mass deportations of undocumented migrants (56%). On Trump's demand that US allies spend more on defense, people were, however, evenly divided (49% approved/disapproved). Michelle Grattan is professorial fellow, University of Canberra This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
