If defence spending were to increase, more Australians would prefer reducing spending on public services (39%) than increasing taxes (24%).
At the same time, Australians are not expecting conflict to reach their own shores. More respondents believe a full-scale military attack on Australia within the next decade is unlikely than likely. There is also widespread confidence that the United States (57%) and other allied nations (73%) would come to Australia’s defence should such an attack occur.
Support for international cooperation remains strong, with 63% backing the deployment of Australian forces if the US were attacked, rising to 74% if another allied country came under attack.
There is also broad backing for economic measures against countries that violate international norms. 69% Australians support maintaining economic sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, while 51% believe it is more important to impose sanctions on countries that have behaved aggressively or committed war crimes to prioritise lower domestic costs.
Australia sees itself as a middle or smaller power
Despite living in one of the world’s most stable democracies, only 11% Australians see their country as a super or great power in the world today. Instead, most Australians (76%) view their country as a medium to smaller power navigating an increasingly uncertain world, where traditional alliances remain important, China’s influence is growing, and security challenges extend beyond conventional military threats.
Methodology
The survey was conducted online by YouGov Plc between 18 and 30 June 2026 across Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US. The results reported here are based on a politically representative sample of 2,003 Australian adults.