United States

Importance of the US alliance

The public has reported high levels of support for Australia’s alliance with the United States over the 18 years of the Lowy Institute Poll, despite fluctuating levels of trust in the United States and confidence in US leaders.

Australians increasingly see conflict in our region as a possibility, which likely adds to the importance placed upon the alliance with the United States. But there are also some concerns about the implications of Australia’s relationship with the United States.

In 2022, the number of Australians who see the ANZUS alliance as important to their security has returned to record highs. Nine in ten Australians (87%) say the alliance is ‘very important’ or ‘fairly important’ to Australia’s security. This marks a nine-point increase from 2021, and is equal to the highest levels of support expressed in 2012, during former President Barack Obama’s administration. However, warmth towards and trust in the United States have not returned to the high levels that were recorded during the Obama years.

More than three-quarters of Australians (77%) now agree that ‘Australia’s alliance with the United States makes it more likely Australia will be drawn into a war in Asia that would not be in Australia’s interests’, an increase of eight points since 2019. However, a similar number (76%) also agree that the United States would come to Australia’s defence if Australia were under threat. Two-thirds (64%) agree that ‘the alliance relationship with the United States makes Australia safer from attack or pressure from China’, an eight-point increase from 2019.

United States
Importance of the US alliance

Question

Thinking now about the United States. How important is our alliance relationship with the United States for Australia’s security?

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Dashed line indicates change in mode: see Methodology.