Australia Shifts Toward Independent Foreign Policy as Trump Returns to Power
New Poll Shows 54% of Australians Favor Foreign Policy Independence Over US Alliance
In a significant shift of public sentiment, a growing majority of Australians are advocating for a more independent foreign policy stance as Donald Trump begins his second term as US President. This comes at a critical juncture for US-Australia relations, with the AUKUS submarine deal and potential trade disputes on the horizon.
According to newly released polling from the Australia Institute, 54% of Australians now prefer a more independent foreign policy over closer ties with the United States, up from 44% in February. This dramatic 10-point increase reflects mounting concerns about the implications of Trump's return to the White House.
Key Takeaways:
Public support for a more independent Australian foreign policy has jumped to 54%, indicating growing wariness of close US alignment
The Albanese government's election victory provides "real space" to potentially rebalance the relationship with the Trump administration
Early signs of tension have emerged despite initial cordial communications between leaders
In an interview with ABC News Australia, Dr. Emma Shortis, the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program Director, highlighted the challenges ahead for the bilateral relationship: "The AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal is going to be a big challenge for the government. I think the Prime Minister previewed that by mentioning that he had discussed it with Donald Trump. But I think there's also rising community concern about that deal and about tying Australia closer to Trump's America."
Despite Trump's positive characterization of his initial phone call with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, concrete policy issues have already emerged. "That language was very much what we're used to hearing from Trump about other world leaders. He's often full of praise and talks about how much they like him, but he will turn around really quickly and act very much in his own interests. And I think we've seen that with this stuff about film tariffs, for example, just very soon after that phone call," Dr. Shortis noted.
The recent Australian federal election results may have strengthened Albanese's position in managing the relationship with Trump. "I think this election victory alongside some quite specific polling suggests that the Australian electorate trusts Anthony Albanese more to deal with Donald Trump. And so he now has the space, I think, to do that, to perhaps rebalance the relationship and to do things, for example, like stand up for the Australian film industry, knowing that there isn't a huge appetite for Trumpism and Trump's kind of politics in the Australian electorate," said Dr. Shortis.
Companies like Village Roadshow and Baz Luhrmann's production company could face significant challenges if proposed US film tariffs come into effect, potentially devastating Australia's $3 billion film industry that employs over 20,000 people.
This shift in public opinion comes as LinkedIn reports increasing discussions about economic sovereignty and trade independence among Asia-Pacific nations, with major corporations reassessing their global supply chains and diplomatic strategies.
What do you think? Should Australia maintain its traditional alliance with the US or forge a more independent path in the Trump era? Share your thoughts on this evolving relationship.
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