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Amid conflict and global disorder, Australians’ feelings of safety and economic optimism have fallen to their lowest levels in the 21-year history of the Lowy Institute Poll.
Only 51 per cent of Australians say they feel either ‘safe’ or ‘very safe’ when thinking about the state of the world. Meanwhile, only half of Australians (52 per cent) say they feel any level of optimism about Australia’s economic performance over the next five years, both equalling Covid-era lows from 2020.
The Lowy Institute’s Executive Director, Dr Michael Fullilove, said Australians’ pessimism reflects a precarious time for the world.
“Australians are clearly unsettled by what they’ve seen of the second Trump administration, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) now holding little to no trust in the United States to act responsibly — the lowest level in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll,” Dr Fullilove said.
“At the same time, the public continues to separate the person of the president from the institution of the alliance. Most Australians (80 per cent) still believe the Australia–US alliance is important to our security — one of the most consistent findings in the history of the Institute’s polling.”
The Poll’s author and Director of the Lowy Institute’s Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program, Ryan Neelam, said many Australians remain wary of China after the Chinese Navy’s circumnavigation of Australia earlier this year.
“Yet looking to the future, those who believe China (56 per cent) will be the most powerful country in the world in ten years more than doubles those who say the same of America (27 per cent),” Mr Neelam said.
“Half the population (51 per cent) say Australia should increase defence spending, although far fewer younger Australians are supportive of doing so.”
“And more than three years into Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, Australians remain firmly in Ukraine’s corner — including a clear majority who would support participating in a European-led peacekeeping mission after a ceasefire,” Mr Neelam said.
Urgency on climate change has somewhat softened in the face of cost-of-living pressures. But Mr Neelam said Australians strongly back the rollout of renewable energy technology.
“As Australia moves towards net zero emissions, three-quarters of Australians see renewables playing a ‘major role’ in the 2050 energy mix, compared to far fewer that envisage a major role for nuclear (37 per cent) or coal (24 per cent).”
Other key findings from the Lowy Institute Poll 2025 include:
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