Exclusive: A third of voters are unsure about a commitment that could cost up to $368 billion over the next three decades.
to buy the first submarines from the United States and build a future fleet in Adelaide is yet to gain a similar majority, with a third of voters unsure about a commitment that could cost up to $368 billion over the next three decades.
Keating launched a broadside against the submarine plan this week by declaring it would sacrifice Australian sovereignty and make the country more reliant on the US and UK without any white paper or major ministerial statement to explain the threat the country was supposedly facing. The move drew a rebuke from Greens leader Adam Bandt because the missiles would add to the cost of the AUKUS plan.
The question was: “Australia has committed to purchase and operate nuclear-powered submarines with the assistance of the UK and US. While nuclear-powered, they would not contain nuclear weapons. Do you personally support or oppose the adoption of nuclear-powered submarines by Australia?” Voters were given the option of saying they “actively support” the idea or saying they find the idea “acceptable” while not having strong feelings on the issue.
“Any survey is a snapshot ... however, the results tell us that many Australians are undecided or hold weak views because the project is so new,” Resolve director Jim Reed said. Defence spending is running at about 2 per cent of GDP but Albanese has signalled it will increase to support AUKUS and other projects, a scenario many Australians support.
A strong majority agreed with the proposition that Russia and/or China were a threat to Australia, but there was a key difference of opinion on how Australia should respond.
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