Themes

World leaders and countries

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Australian views of Russia have plummeted. Only 5% of Australians say they trust Russia ‘somewhat’ or ‘a great deal’ to act responsibly in the world. This represents a 21-point fall from 2021, and marks Russia displacing China as the least trusted country for Australians.

Most Australians continue to hold very low levels of trust in China, with 12% saying they trust China somewhat or a great deal, a 40-point decrease since 2018. A bare majority of Australians (51%) trust Indonesia, which is steady from 2021. Trust in India has declined somewhat, with 56% saying they trust India to act responsibly in the world, a five-point fall in the past year.

Trust in the United States has rebounded from its historic low levels in 2019 and 2020. Two-thirds of Australians (65%) trust the United States to act responsibly. This result is stable from 2021, but remains 18 points below the levels of trust expressed towards the United States in 2009 and 2011 (83%).

Japan and the United Kingdom rank at the top of the list of countries in 2022, with 87% of Australians saying they trust Japan and the United Kingdom to act responsibly in the world. Despite recent tensions in Australia’s relationship with France following the AUKUS announcement, eight in ten Australians (82%) trust France to act responsibly in the world. This remains steady from 2018, the last time that France was included in this list.

Australians’ dramatic decline in trust in Russia in 2022 corresponds with many Australians losing confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin. Only 6% of Australians say they have ‘a lot’ or ‘some’ confidence in Putin to do the right thing regarding world affairs, which marks a ten-point decline since 2021. This places him at the same level as North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, who also inspires confidence in only 5% of Australians.

Only 11% of Australians say they have a lot or some confidence in President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs. This figure has halved since 2020 (22%) and has fallen by 32 points since 2018 (43%).

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tops the list of global leaders again, with 87% expressing confidence in her (though this has fallen four points from 2021). Despite the bilateral tensions between Australia and France, the majority of Australians (67%) express confidence in French President Emmanuel Macron. Australians also hold high levels of confidence in Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, with 65% saying they have confidence in him. Six in ten Australians (59%) have confidence in Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, which is unchanged from 2021.

While trust and warmth towards the United States have increased in 2022, fewer Australians express confidence in US President Joe Biden than in 2021. Six in ten Australians (58%) say they have some or a lot of confidence in President Biden, an 11-point decrease from his inauguration year of 2021. This remains 28 points above the confidence expressed in former President Donald Trump in 2020 (30%).

41 questions match this theme

Relations with the US and China

Trust in global powers

How much do you trust the following countries to act responsibly in the world?
Asked in
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2011
- 2009
- 2008
- 2006
Data
World leaders and countries

Confidence in world leaders

How much confidence you have in the following leader to do the right thing regarding world affairs?
Asked in
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
Data
World leaders and countries

Australia's best friend in Asia

Which one of the following countries is Australia’s best friend in Asia?
Asked in
Data
World leaders and countries

Australia's best friend in the world

Which one of the following countries is Australia’s best friend in the world?
Asked in
- 2022
- 2019
- 2017
- 2014
Data
Democracy

Democracies around the world

Here is a list of countries and territories. For each one, please indicate whether you agree or disagree that the country or territory is a democracy.
Asked in
- 2022
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2015
- 2013
Data
Economic and trade policy

Support for free trade

Overall, do you personally think free trade is good or bad for each of the following:
Asked in
Data
Security and defence

Tensions in the Australia-France relationship

Which country is more to blame for the tensions in the Australia–France relationship?
Asked in
- 2022
Data
Economic and trade policy

Australia's free trade negotiations

Thinking now about Australia’s approach to negotiating free trade agreements. On balance, do you think signing a free trade agreement with the following would be good or bad for Australia, or would it make no difference?
Asked in
- 2020
Data
World leaders and countries

Australian views of Brexit

Now a question about the United Kingdom and its vote to leave the European Union. Do you personally think the United Kingdom leaving the European Union will be a good thing or a bad thing for:
Asked in
- 2019
Data
Relations with the US and China

Relations with superpowers

Should the Australian government prioritise the United States or China, even if it may harm relations with the other?
Asked in
- 2019
Data
Economic and trade policy

World's leading economic powers

Today, which one of the following do you think is the world's leading economic power?
Asked in
Data
World leaders and countries

Attitudes to Europe

Please say whether you personally agree or disagree with each of the following statements about Europe:
Asked in
- 2016
Data
Economic and trade policy

Foreign acquisitions of farmland

Are you personally in favour or against the Australian government allowing foreign companies to buy Australian farmland?
Asked in
- 2016
- 2012
Data
World leaders and countries

United Kingdom and Brexit

Thinking about the European Union and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will vote in June on whether to remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union. Do you personally think the United Kingdom should
Asked in
- 2016
Data
World leaders and countries

United Kingdom leaving the European Union

Which one of the following statements comes closest to your own view about what might happen if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union? If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union:
Asked in
- 2016
Data
World leaders and countries

Admiration for world leaders

For each of the following leaders, please say whether you personally admire them a lot, admire them a little or you don't admire them at all.
Asked in
- 2015
- 2014
Data
Australian foreign policy

Australia in the G20 and UNSC

Is the effort to host the G20 or hold a seat on the United Nations Security Council worth the cost for Australia?
Asked in
- 2015
Data
Economic and trade policy

Foreign investment in Australian real estate

Do you think the Australian government is allowing too much investment, about the right amount of investment, or not enough investment, from the following country or region?
Asked in
- 2015
Data
Economic and trade policy

North Asian free trade agreements

In 2014, Australia signed free trade agreements with Japan, Korea and China. On balance, do you personally think these kinds of free trade agreements are good or bad for the Australian economy and for Australia's relations with those countries, or do they make no difference?
Asked in
- 2015
Data
Australian foreign policy

Australia's bilateral relationships

In your opinion, are Australia's with the following countries improving, worsening, or staying about the same.
Asked in
Data