ID :
16699
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 18:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/16699
The shortlink copeid
Coalition 'lost poll security advantage'
(AAP) The coalition has lost its traditional position as the party of choice on defence and security last year, helping Labor win the election, a new study reveals.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) study shows that despite the 9/11 and Bali terror attacks and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, security still rankswell down a list of voter concerns.
Report author Ian McAllister said the coalition held a decisive lead over Labor on defence and security issues at the 2001 and 2004 elections, but that had evaporatedby 2007.
Professor McAllister, a political science expert at the Australian National University, said that was partly because the coalition was in power at the time of the 9/11 and the Bali terrorist attacks, with the public largely approving of thegovernment response.
At the 2001 and 2004 polls, Labor trailed by 23 and 29 per cent as the partyregarded as best able to handle security matters.
But for the 2007 election, there was a major turnaround in public opinion.
On both defence and terrorism, Labor improved its position by a substantial 20percentage points, he said.
"While it remained behind the coalition as the preferred party on these issues, its disadvantage was small and many more voters saw no difference between the majorparties," he said.
"There were clearly many factors that contributed to the Australian Labor Party's 2007 election success, but one was the party's increasing credibility with voters on national security issues." Prof McAllister said Labor also benefited from the increasing unpopularity of theIraq war and from its policy of withdrawing Australian troops.
In 2004, the coalition had an 11-point advantage. By the 2007 election, that hadbecome a Labor advantage of 19 points.
The study was based on a survey of voter attitudes conducted by the AustralianElectoral Study.
For 2007, defence and national security ranked 10th on the list of issues ofnational concern.
Health headed the list. Defence still ranked higher than the war in Iraq (11th) andterrorism (13th).
Treatment of Aborigines ranked last at 14th.
Combining defence and national security, Iraq and terrorism, a total of 17 per centvoted some aspect of this as the top concern.
The 2007 data shows many remain gravely suspicious of Indonesia, with 28 per centviewing it as a threat, compared with just 10 per cent for China.
About four per cent view the United States as a security threat, down from six percent in 2004. In 2001, hardly anyone regarded the US as a threat.
"Clearly, the rise in the numbers seeing the US as a threat is motivated less by the belief that the US harbours military ambitions towards Australia and more by anti-American sentiment, fostered by disenchantment with the FTA (Free TradeAgreement) and opposition to the Iraq war," Prof McAllister said.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) study shows that despite the 9/11 and Bali terror attacks and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, security still rankswell down a list of voter concerns.
Report author Ian McAllister said the coalition held a decisive lead over Labor on defence and security issues at the 2001 and 2004 elections, but that had evaporatedby 2007.
Professor McAllister, a political science expert at the Australian National University, said that was partly because the coalition was in power at the time of the 9/11 and the Bali terrorist attacks, with the public largely approving of thegovernment response.
At the 2001 and 2004 polls, Labor trailed by 23 and 29 per cent as the partyregarded as best able to handle security matters.
But for the 2007 election, there was a major turnaround in public opinion.
On both defence and terrorism, Labor improved its position by a substantial 20percentage points, he said.
"While it remained behind the coalition as the preferred party on these issues, its disadvantage was small and many more voters saw no difference between the majorparties," he said.
"There were clearly many factors that contributed to the Australian Labor Party's 2007 election success, but one was the party's increasing credibility with voters on national security issues." Prof McAllister said Labor also benefited from the increasing unpopularity of theIraq war and from its policy of withdrawing Australian troops.
In 2004, the coalition had an 11-point advantage. By the 2007 election, that hadbecome a Labor advantage of 19 points.
The study was based on a survey of voter attitudes conducted by the AustralianElectoral Study.
For 2007, defence and national security ranked 10th on the list of issues ofnational concern.
Health headed the list. Defence still ranked higher than the war in Iraq (11th) andterrorism (13th).
Treatment of Aborigines ranked last at 14th.
Combining defence and national security, Iraq and terrorism, a total of 17 per centvoted some aspect of this as the top concern.
The 2007 data shows many remain gravely suspicious of Indonesia, with 28 per centviewing it as a threat, compared with just 10 per cent for China.
About four per cent view the United States as a security threat, down from six percent in 2004. In 2001, hardly anyone regarded the US as a threat.
"Clearly, the rise in the numbers seeing the US as a threat is motivated less by the belief that the US harbours military ambitions towards Australia and more by anti-American sentiment, fostered by disenchantment with the FTA (Free TradeAgreement) and opposition to the Iraq war," Prof McAllister said.
