Poll shows Australians are wary of relationship with US under Trump

A new DemosAU poll has found more Australians want the Australian Government to distance itself from President Trump and see Australian and US societies as very different.

The DemosAU poll of 1,238 Australians found that 45% of people believe the Australian Government should distance itself from President Trump (45%) compared to ‘closely support’ Trump (36%).

Women were more likely to express distance from Trump (53%) compared to 37% of men.

DemosAU Head of Research George Hasanakos said the gender difference was quite stark.

“A decisive plurality of Australians want the Australian Government to give Trump a wide berth but that is certainly highest among women,” he said.

The plurality of Australians who want the Australian Government to distance itself from Trump was driven by metropolitan voters, both in the inner (48-32) and outer (47-35) metropolitan areas.

“This year’s federal election will be decided in outer metropolitan Australia where Donald Trump is an electoral liability,” Mr Hasanakos said.

The vast majority of Australians (69%) believe Australia is a ‘very different’ society to the United States and the Australian Government should protect Australia’s unique way of life, compared to 23% who believe our societies are ‘very similar’.

This sentiment is expressed across voters of all political persuasions (Labor 76%, Coalition 62%, One Nation 59%, Greens 76%) 

This research shows that the re-election of Trump had alienated Australians from the United States, Mr Hasanakos said.

“The trajectory of American politics over the last 10 years has led a large majority of Australians to see Australia as very different to the United States, and our nation as a much better place to live in.”

DemosAU polling from November last year found Australians do not support an Australian Trump. 

Please see our methodology statement and associated tables here.