Australians believe the country is at greater risk of a military attack in the next five years, with anxiety growing that Australia is not prepared for such an event, a new study has revealed.
About 68 per cent of Aussies believe the country will be involved in a military conflict in the next five years, with half believing Australia will be attacked itself, according to a study from the Australian National University.
From this, 43 per cent of Aussies believe such an attack would have a catastrophic impact on the country, but not many think the country is equipped to deal with such a serious event.
Australians fear the country could ocme under a military attack within the next five years. (Renee Nowytarger)
“Fewer than one-in-five respondents believed the nation is ‘very’ or ‘fully’ prepared,” the study said.
“On most issues surveyed, most respondents said Australia is either ‘slightly’ or ‘moderately’ prepared.”
Terrorism has also become a bigger fear since the Bondi Beach shooting last year, with almost three-quarters of Australians rating it a serious issue in February, compared to just 55 per cent when asked the same question in November 2024.
“In a time when our security landscape is changing, it would be wrong to assume that Australians are complacent. Most are concerned and want to know more,” said ANU Professor Rory Medcalf.
Terrorism ha sbecome a bigger fear in the mind of Aussies after last year’s shooting at Bondi Beach. (Jessica Hromas)
Petrol bowsers across NSW have begun running out of fuel. The ANU’s study found Australians fear disruption to critical supplies. (Nine)
The Australian government’s terrorism threat level is currently listed as “probable”, which means there is a more than 50 per cent chance of an attack in the next 12 months, or an attack being planned during this time.
Australia’s national spy agency ASIO said there was a “normalisation of provocative and inflammatory behaviours”, and warned the current conflict in the Middle East was resonating in Australia, and could motivate potential attacks.
They said any attack was most likely to be conducted by a lone perpetrator or a small group in a simple and low-cost manner.
“Basic weapons, such as knives, vehicles, explosives, and firearms can maximise casualties when combined with simple tactics,” the agency warns.
The survey, which took in responses from 20,000 people across the country, found non-military threats were viewed as more serious, with AI-attacks, severe economic crisis, and disruption to critical supplies viewed as significant fears for Australians.
With a disrupted oil supply leading to skyrocketing fuel prices and demand for petrol across the country due to the Middle East conflict, Australians’ fears may not be completely unfounded.
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