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Australians have rebounded strongly from a traumatic 2020, but nervous eyes are fixed on various looming threats, with distrust of China at record levels.
That is, in brief, the picture painted by the Lowy Institute's Annual Poll for 2021, which gauges Australians' feelings on everything from the local economy to world affairs.
The phone survey, conducted in March of this year, found that 70 per cent of Australians felt "safe" or "very safe" – up 20 points on last year.
Australian distrust of China is at record levels, the annual Lowy Institute poll has shown. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Of course, in March 2020, the world was reeling under what was then a terrifying, all-but-unknown threat.
"It speaks to the fact that in March 2020, Australia was just going into lockdown, and there was really a quite unprecedented panic," Lowy director of public opinion and foreign policy program Natasha Kassam told nine.com.au.
"The vast majority of Australians feel we've managed the pandemic well."
But the view wasn't all rosy.
Trust in China plunges
Only 16 percent of Australians said they trusted China "a great deal" or "somewhat" to act responsibly in the world – down from 52 per cent in 2018.
Most Australians now see China as a greater security threat than an economic partner, though there is a reluctance to join the US in any hypothetical conflict with Beijing, with 57 per cent of respondents opting for neutrality.
However, Australian distrust of China appears to be focused on government actions and policy, with most Australians saying Chinese history and culture, and Chinese people they meet, positively influence their view of the rising superpower.
Australian opinion of China's economic growth has changed. (Getty)
"The Australia-China story has changed dramatically," Ms Kassam said.
"In the 2019 election, foreign policy was not mentioned once – that simply wouldn't happen today."
She said while Australians had traditionally taken a dim view of Chinese authoritarianism, what had changed recently was that the nation's economic growth was increasingly being regarded as a threat (50 per cent agreed, up 31 per cent from 2016).
"China's targeted sanctions have had an effect on how Australians see its economic power," Ms Kassam said.
However, she pointed out that most Australians still recognised China as our biggest trading partner, with 72 per cent still maintaining it was possible to have good relationships with Beijing and Washington.
Threats on the horizon
As well as conflict with Beijing, Australians rated cyberattacks from other countries (62 per cent) and climate change (61 per cent) as critical threats to the national interest in the next decade.
And 59 per cent rated COVID-19 as a critical threat for 2021 – but that was down 17 per cent from 2020.
Australians want more action on climate change. (David Gray/Getty Images)
"Support for action on climate change has been going up since 2013," Ms Kassam said.
"There was a minor dip in 2020, when people were obviously more focused on the coronavirus.
"But the vast majority of Australians think we should be doing more to confront the issue, even to the extent of supporting emissions trading or a carbon tax."
The good stuff
Australians are overwhelmingly optimistic about the economy, with 79 percent adopting a cheery outlook – up a record 27 per cent from last year.
And 97 per cent of people believe the national response to COVID-19 will have a positive effect on Australia's international reputation.
The federal government received a mark of 7.6 out of 10 for its response to the pandemic, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison (67 per cent) and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese (56 per cent) also appeared to pass muster.
The government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been given positive marks. (Rhett Wyman/SMH)
Around the world
Trust has increased in India (61 per cent, up 16 per cent since 2020) and Indonesia (48 per cent, up 12 per cent), but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern once again took the crown as Australians' favourite national leader, with 91 per cent giving her a tick of approval.
Australians also appeared to welcome the election of US President Joe Biden, with trust in Mr Biden rebounding to 69 per cent, more than doubling last year's result of 30 perc ent for his predecessor Donald Trump.
And 58 per cent of Australians still agreed Mr Trump had damaged the US-Australia alliance.
Former US President Donald Trump damaged the US-Australia alliance, a majority of poll respondents say. (AP)
"Trump was not popular in Australia," Ms Kassam said.
"But what we're seeing is that levels of trust and confidence in the US under Biden are not as high as they were under (former US President Barack) Obama.
"Trump's legacy has left Australians questioning the old alliance with the US."
The full results of the Lowy Poll can be found here.
That is, in brief, the picture painted by the Lowy Institute's Annual Poll for 2021, which gauges Australians' feelings on everything from the local economy to world affairs.
The phone survey, conducted in March of this year, found that 70 per cent of Australians felt "safe" or "very safe" – up 20 points on last year.
Australian distrust of China is at record levels, the annual Lowy Institute poll has shown. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Of course, in March 2020, the world was reeling under what was then a terrifying, all-but-unknown threat.
"It speaks to the fact that in March 2020, Australia was just going into lockdown, and there was really a quite unprecedented panic," Lowy director of public opinion and foreign policy program Natasha Kassam told nine.com.au.
"The vast majority of Australians feel we've managed the pandemic well."
But the view wasn't all rosy.
Trust in China plunges
Only 16 percent of Australians said they trusted China "a great deal" or "somewhat" to act responsibly in the world – down from 52 per cent in 2018.
Most Australians now see China as a greater security threat than an economic partner, though there is a reluctance to join the US in any hypothetical conflict with Beijing, with 57 per cent of respondents opting for neutrality.
However, Australian distrust of China appears to be focused on government actions and policy, with most Australians saying Chinese history and culture, and Chinese people they meet, positively influence their view of the rising superpower.
Australian opinion of China's economic growth has changed. (Getty)
"The Australia-China story has changed dramatically," Ms Kassam said.
"In the 2019 election, foreign policy was not mentioned once – that simply wouldn't happen today."
She said while Australians had traditionally taken a dim view of Chinese authoritarianism, what had changed recently was that the nation's economic growth was increasingly being regarded as a threat (50 per cent agreed, up 31 per cent from 2016).
"China's targeted sanctions have had an effect on how Australians see its economic power," Ms Kassam said.
However, she pointed out that most Australians still recognised China as our biggest trading partner, with 72 per cent still maintaining it was possible to have good relationships with Beijing and Washington.
Threats on the horizon
As well as conflict with Beijing, Australians rated cyberattacks from other countries (62 per cent) and climate change (61 per cent) as critical threats to the national interest in the next decade.
And 59 per cent rated COVID-19 as a critical threat for 2021 – but that was down 17 per cent from 2020.
Australians want more action on climate change. (David Gray/Getty Images)
"Support for action on climate change has been going up since 2013," Ms Kassam said.
"There was a minor dip in 2020, when people were obviously more focused on the coronavirus.
"But the vast majority of Australians think we should be doing more to confront the issue, even to the extent of supporting emissions trading or a carbon tax."
The good stuff
Australians are overwhelmingly optimistic about the economy, with 79 percent adopting a cheery outlook – up a record 27 per cent from last year.
And 97 per cent of people believe the national response to COVID-19 will have a positive effect on Australia's international reputation.
The federal government received a mark of 7.6 out of 10 for its response to the pandemic, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison (67 per cent) and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese (56 per cent) also appeared to pass muster.
The government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been given positive marks. (Rhett Wyman/SMH)
Around the world
Trust has increased in India (61 per cent, up 16 per cent since 2020) and Indonesia (48 per cent, up 12 per cent), but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern once again took the crown as Australians' favourite national leader, with 91 per cent giving her a tick of approval.
Australians also appeared to welcome the election of US President Joe Biden, with trust in Mr Biden rebounding to 69 per cent, more than doubling last year's result of 30 perc ent for his predecessor Donald Trump.
And 58 per cent of Australians still agreed Mr Trump had damaged the US-Australia alliance.
Former US President Donald Trump damaged the US-Australia alliance, a majority of poll respondents say. (AP)
"Trump was not popular in Australia," Ms Kassam said.
"But what we're seeing is that levels of trust and confidence in the US under Biden are not as high as they were under (former US President Barack) Obama.
"Trump's legacy has left Australians questioning the old alliance with the US."
The full results of the Lowy Poll can be found here.
