AUSTRALIA: Most Australians fear climate change more than terrorism
Updated
Climate change worries more people in Australia than international terrorism. More than half the population is "very worried" about climate change, putting it above unfriendly countries developing nuclear weapons, Islamic fundamentalism or international terrorism. On the whole, the latest annual opinion poll by the Lowy Institute shows Australians feel safer and more optimistic than a year ago. But they are unhappier about aspects of the US alliance.
Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Alan Gyngell, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy
SNOWDON: The Lowy Institute's annual survey suggest that Australians don't like George Bush very much or the Australian Government's support for his war in Iraq, but they quite like the American people, and don't have too many concerns about free trade and globalisation. The Institute's Executive Director, Alan Gyngell, says that 92 per cent of Australians still regard the ANZUS alliance as important, but significantly fewer see it as essential. The main factor seems to be George Bush.
GYNGELL: They are more favourably disposed towards Americans than they are towards America. And the two things that ranked most highly were the president and US foreign policy. This suggests that there's a sort of transitory dimension to the Australia-US relationship.
SNOWDON: This year is the third for the survey and it found that Australians feel safer, more optimistic and better off economically than they did in 2005. Three quarters want the Federal Government to protect the jobs of Australian workers and tackle climate change with equal vigour. Climate change ranks higher as an outside threat than unfriendly countries developing nuclear weapons, Islamic fundamentalism, or international terrorism.
GYNGELL: It's not necessarily saying that they don't think there are still terrorists out there or that terrorism doesn't pose problems, but that as a threat, it's less significant than it used to be.
SNOWDON: Another important foreign policy goal from the viewpoint of the general public is helping to prevent nuclear proliferation. That might resonate with the Federal Government as it ponders selling Australian uranium to more countries, India and China included. Alan Gyngell again.
GYNGELL. We didn't ask a specific question about uranium sales, but there's no doubt that unfriendly countries developing nuclear weapons is seen as one of the major threats that Australia faces. There is certainly a real concern in the community about nuclear proliferation generally.
SNOWDON: Does your survey and its results have a role in the political context here in Australia? Has it been taken note of before?
GYNGELL: I think it has. It's very hard for us to know from outside what people note from it and how they use the information in it. But we're providing certainly what is the first consistent study of what Australians think about the world. It means that political leaders can no longer make statements about what the Australian people think on international issues without reference I think to this survey.
SNOWDON: And when asked who of our neighbours we liked the most, Australians have the warmest feelings towards New Zealanders. Great Britain comes a strong second, followed by Singapore, Japan and Vietnam.
GYNGELL: We feel very and surprisingly warmly about New Zealanders. We love them.
SNOWDON: And we're comfortable with the idea of granting temporary work permits.
GYNGELL: In fact again there was a much more positive attitude to seasonal migration on the grounds that it helped the developing countries and filled gaps in Australia's labour market than there were negative attitudes towards. So if as the Australian Government considers this issue, it will find I think a strong degree of support from the Australian people for at least trials of this if that's the way they decide to go ahead.
