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Published daily by the Lowy Institute

  • 9 Sep 2025
    • China
    • Australia
    • Technology
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    Why Australians are realists on China

    Helen Zhang
    Tech rivalry is a telling case study where pragmatic engagement with both superpowers is preferred despite mounting pressure to choose sides.
  • 28 Aug 2025
    • Global Economy
    • Technology
    • Public Opinion

    Australia’s stablecoin opportunity in the Pacific

    Monique Taylor
    Digital dollar tokens could revolutionise regional remittances, but only if Canberra helps shape a regulatory framework to dodge the scams.
  • 5 Aug 2025
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    Australia’s generational challenge with war

    Hugh Piper
    When fiction reveals hard truths about Australia’s defence readiness.
  • 29 Jul 2025
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    Australians ahead of the game in aid debate, MPs should follow

    Bridi Rice
    Canberra should take advantage of a rare alignment forming on Australia’s global role.
  • 2 Jul 2025
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    Australia-United States: How to disagree with a superpower

    Ryan Neelam
    The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll illustrates the areas of contention and convergence in a longstanding alliance.
  • 30 Jun 2025
    • China
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    Does Australia see China as a threat?

    Susannah Patton
    Squaring the circle between public opinion and political rhetoric.
  • 19 Jun 2025
    • Australian trade, investment & economy
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    Australians see through tariff fears to real economic threat

    Jenny Gordon
    Latest Lowy polling shows strong support for local manufacturing, but green tech backing might be on the slide.
  • 17 Jun 2025
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Public Opinion

    Australia overtakes China in the Pacific as America vacates the lane

    Mihai Sora
    Public perceptions of influence measured in the latest Lowy Institute Poll see Australia surge ahead as the “permanent contest” unfolds.
  • 16 Jun 2025
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    Explaining Australia’s enduring faith in democracy even as the world backslides

    Lydia Khalil
    Tech disruption and US concerns haven’t dampened Australian enthusiasm for democratic institutions.
  • 16 Jun 2025
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    Australia’s military benefits beyond war – the career challenge

    David Vallance
    How to sell young people on defence force service when shared values under the US alliance appear increasingly questionable.
  • 16 Jun 2025
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    How should politicians “read” the 2025 Lowy Institute Poll?

    Sam Roggeveen
    Representative democracy requires politicians to weigh the public mood against their own judgment on complex policy questions.
  • 10 Jun 2025
    • Diplomacy
    • Technology
    • Public Opinion

    Before social media, there was shortwave: Lessons from the original information wars

    Abhijnan Rej
    There is nothing new in weaponising airwaves to shape hearts and minds across borders.
  • 31 Mar 2025
    • Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Public Opinion

    From MAD to TikTok: The generational shift in nuclear thinking

    Anum A. Khan
    If Gen Z and Gen Alpha don’t much think about nuclear weapons, they may unintentionally weaken the very structures that have prevented catastrophe for decades.
  • 18 Mar 2025
    • Diplomacy
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    Silencing the Voice of America

    Susannah Patton
    Data from the Asia Power Index shows just how successful the Voice of America has been.
  • 10 Mar 2025
    • Climate change
    • Public Opinion

    What happened to the youth climate movement?

    Isabelle Zhu-Maguire
    With the world rapidly losing sight of Paris Agreement targets, let’s bring back the fight.
  • 28 Feb 2025
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion
    • United States
    • Australia in the World
    • Australian Perspective
    • Australian Public Opinion

    Young men are lurching right worldwide, but is Australia immune?

    Intifar Chowdhury
    With political disillusionment at all-time highs, how we speak about purpose in the world matters.
  • 23 Sep 2024
    • Australia
    • Diplomacy
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    Out of the way, USA

    Mark Pierce
    Focus on the United States might well reduce our bandwidth for what is going on in other regions.
  • 2 Sep 2024
    • Australia
    • Diplomacy
    • Public Opinion

    The patriot’s virtue in bringing the world back home

    Mark Pierce
    Whether gauging global attitudes or assessing international interests, it pays to think first of home.
  • 5 Aug 2024
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • Defence & Security
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Public Opinion
    • Public Opinion Polling

    Thinking the “unthinkable” again?

    Michael Clarke
    Security motivations alone rarely explain decisions to “go nuclear”. Australia’s history on the question is complex.
  • 24 Jun 2024
    • Australia
    • Migration
    • Public Opinion

    Australians get the benefits of migration, even the doubters

    Emily Foley
    The latest Lowy Institute Poll captures the nuanced attitude of the public to a hotly contested political theme.
  • 5 Jun 2024
    • China
    • Australia
    • Global Economy
    • Public Opinion
    • United States

    The China alibi

    Jenny Gordon
    A geopolitical contest between the United States and China should not stop Australians assessing their own economic interests.
  • 4 Jun 2024
    • India
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    The brakes on Australia’s ambition with India

    Daniel Flitton
    The biggest challenge is convincing the public to turn up the temperature on a lukewarm relationship.
  • 4 Jun 2024
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    Not in the same boat? Perceptions of the Australia-Philippines security partnership

    Rahman Yaacob
    The closer and growing defence ties between the countries doesn’t appear to have permeated the public mind yet.
  • 3 Jun 2024
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Public Opinion

    Australians watching Pacific with concern and care

    Meg Keen
    Chinese influence and Pacific migration pathways are on Australian minds this year, according to latest Lowy Institute Poll.
  • 3 Jun 2024
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    Lowy Institute Poll: The world according to Australians

    Ryan Neelam
    Looking over two decades of polling numbers, a nuanced view emerges about the changing international context.
  • 14 Mar 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga
    • Public Opinion
    • Public Opinion Polling

    Tongan attitudes to the world

    ‘Ungatea Fonua Kata , Jessica Collins
    A new poll reveals how the Pacific archipelago views US, Chinese and Australian influence.
  • 12 Mar 2024
    • China
    • Australia and Asia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • Multiculturalism
    • Technology
    • Transnational Challenges
    • Public Opinion
    • Public Opinion Polling

    Chinese social media and the 2025 Australian federal election

    Fan Yang , Robbie Fordyce , Luke Heemsbergen
    Those intent on spreading political misinformation are finding ways around strict foreign interference rules.
  • 21 Feb 2024
    • India
    • Public Opinion

    What younger voters in India think about the country’s foreign policy

    Abhishek Sharma
    A perception of shared characteristics – risk taking, aspirational – is connecting with a youthful audience.
  • 12 Oct 2023
    • Australia in the World
    • Australia
    • United Kingdom
    • Public Opinion

    Voting “Yes” in the heart of empire

    Hugh Piper , Matthew Newman
    If the ballot queue in London were any guide, the Voice would win hands down.
  • 4 Jul 2023
    • Indonesia
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    Suspicious minds: Will closer Australia‑Indonesia engagement yield greater trust?

    Ryan Neelam
    Despite the flourishing bromance between Albanese and Jokowi, the Lowy Institute Poll shows an ongoing need to deepen public understanding and familiarity on both sides.
  • 26 Jun 2023
    • Australia
    • Russia
    • Ukraine
    • Public Opinion

    Australians stand with Ukraine – but attention won’t last indefinitely

    Elizabeth Buchanan
    The latest Lowy Poll should be a warning about the risk of not debating the end goal in a conflict.
  • 23 Jun 2023
    • China
    • Australia in the World
    • Public Opinion
    • Canada

    Perceptions and trust: Chinese views of Canada and Australia amid geopolitical tensions

    Ye Xue , Daniel Lincoln , Reza Hasmath , Jia Wang
    New data reveals lingering resentments as well as ongoing opportunities.
  • 22 Jun 2023
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Public Opinion

    Lowy Poll 2023: Australians still jittery about China in the Pacific

    Jessica Collins
    Just like Pacific nations themselves, the public are waiting to see pledges by new government translated into outcomes.
  • 21 Jun 2023
    • Australia
    • Australian Navy
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    The “somewhat” conundrum: Lack of communication bedevils AUKUS support

    David Vallance
    The latest Lowy Institute Poll reveals Australians are no more convinced about the merits of the subs deal than last year.
  • 19 Apr 2023
    • Australia
    • Public Opinion

    Chinese-Australians feel more at home

    Jennifer Hsu
    Despite tension in Australia-China relations, Chinese-Australians express stronger connection and trust in Australia.
  • 23 Mar 2023
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Public Opinion

    Ending the climate wars: the public’s mandate

    Ryan Neelam
    Australians understand the need to act. As global scientists issue the clearest warning yet, can Labor deliver?
  • 10 Oct 2022
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Public Opinion

    Australia and Pacific Islands: Polls apart?

    Meg Keen
    Without a comprehensive public opinion survey of Pacific people, common attitudes can be challenging to identify.
  • 25 Jul 2022
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • France
    • Public Opinion

    France-Australia: Moving beyond AUKUS

    Eglantine Staunton
    A change of PM has certainly helped, and the latest Lowy Poll suggests no enduring damage has been done to relations.
  • 30 Jun 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe
    • Russia
    • Ukraine
    • Public Opinion

    War fatigue in the West

    Bermet Talant
    The democratic world passed the compassion test for Ukraine. Now it faces the real challenge.
  • 13 Apr 2022
    • Public Opinion
    • North Korea
    • South Korea

    Bellicose or bluster? How South Koreans see the North’s nuclear threat

    Timothy S. Rich , Brooklind Norman , Josie Coyle
    The policy of a new president in Seoul depends not only on Pyongyang but also South Korean public perceptions.
  • 7 Apr 2022
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia

    Five key findings from the Being Chinese in Australia survey

    Natasha Kassam , Jennifer Hsu
    The latest Lowy survey of Chinese-Australians captures views on belonging, trust, strategic competition, Covid and more.
  • 24 Feb 2022
    • Global Economy
    • Public Opinion
    • United States
    • Trade
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • China
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    Economic diplomacy: Slow dividends for Australia from ASEAN spending

    Greg Earl
    Amid the Ukraine sanctions showdown, an Indian trade deal looms as a pre-election win for the Morrison government.
  • 7 Jul 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Diplomacy

    Personality in foreign policy

    Daniel Flitton
    How leaders interact and are judged can shape a country’s approach to the world as much as economics or military might.
  • 28 Jun 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • Indonesia

    Building stronger Australia-Indonesia ties

    Ben Bland
    The latest Lowy Poll shows the gaps in public understanding that bedevils the goal of closer bilateral relations.
  • 24 Jun 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • India

    The dangers in Australia’s blissful ignorance about India

    Lavina Lee
    It’s far from all bad news. But Australians don’t know that other Asian great power as well as they should.
  • 23 Jun 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • China

    By the numbers: Charting the Australia-China relationship in decline

    Natasha Kassam
    Trust has plummeted and concern about China’s military is growing. And Australians point a finger of blame at Beijing.
  • 23 Jun 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion

    How Australians look in the mirror, and out a window to the world

    Caitlin Byrne
    The reflection people see might be rosy, but Australians need a better understanding of how others might see us.
  • 31 May 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • International Public Opinion
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • Climate change

    As varied as the weather: How public attitudes shape climate policy

    Bec Colvin
    Opinion surveys across the big emitters reveal the social complexity surrounding climate policy commitments.
  • 3 May 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • Australia
    • Coronavirus

    State of mind: How Australians see the pandemic and efforts to help

    Natasha Kassam
    New polling by the Lowy Institute looks at Australians’ attitudes to Covid-19 responses at home and abroad.
  • 30 Mar 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • United States
    • Australia
    • Coronavirus

    Taking the measure of prejudice in a pandemic

    Xiao Tan , Leah Ruppanner , Rennie Lee
    Has Covid-19 heightened anti-Asian bias in Australia? A new survey shows some worrying signs.
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