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Australian values and foreign policy

−14 from 2007

In 2020, 60% of Australians said democratic values were more important when dealing with international problems.

Question Australian values and foreign policy

In dealing with international problems, there can sometimes be a clash between Australia’s economic interests and Australia’s democratic values. When that happens, should interests or values be considered more important?

Responses from 2020.

  1. 0%
  2. 25%
  3. 50%
  4. 75%
Values
60
Interests
38

In 2007, the question asked ‘In dealing with international problems, there can sometimes be a clash between Australia’s economic or political interests and Australia’s democratic or humanitarian values. When that happens, should interests or values be considered more important?’

Total
All groups

2020 observation

In considering Australia’s foreign policy, there can sometimes be a clash between economic interests and democratic values. Asked about priorities for Australia in this situation, six in ten Australians (60%) say that Australia’s democratic values are more important, whereas more than one third (38%) say that economic interests are more important. In a similar question asked more than a decade ago in 2007, three-quarters of the country (74%) said that ‘democratic or humanitarian values’ were more important, compared to 18% selecting ‘economic or political interests’. This indicates an increased emphasis on economic interests in the past decade.

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