Newspoll: Invasion sparks fear on national security

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked Australians, with almost two-thirds of voters believing Vladimir Putin’s actions posed a significant threat to national security.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton, left, Scott Morrison and Brigadier Michael Say discuss the flooding at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked Australians, with almost two-thirds of voters believing ­dictator Vladimir Putin’s actions posed a significant threat to our national security.

But the threat posed by China remained the most pressing international concern, with 74 per cent of voters saying the Asian superpower presented a significant risk to Australia’s national security.

An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows Scott Morrison’s national security campaign posture was paying dividends with the Coalition favoured over Labor as better able to deal with both threats.

Anthony Albanese. Picture: Chris Kidd

When asked about Russia’s threat to global stability, 30 per cent said Mr Morrison and the Coalition would be better at handling the issue compared to 24 per cent backing Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Labor.

On the China threat in the Asia-Pacific, 33 per cent said the Morrison government would be more capable at dealing with the issue with 26 per cent believing an Albanese-led Labor government would be better.

The Prime Minister has taken a hardline stand against the ­Russian President since his ­invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, announcing a raft of sanctions and most recently the provision of “lethal aid” to Ukraine to defend itself.

Mr Morrison has sought to link both Russia’s military ­invasion and China’s failure to adequately ­denounce the actions as issuing in a dangerous ­challenge to the ­global rules-based order.

Mr Albanese has committed Labor to a bipartisan position, backing the government’s ­measures.

The special Newspoll showed that 64 per cent of voters believed that Russia posed a significant threat to Australia’s national­ ­security. A total of 27 per cent disagreed, with 9 per cent of voters saying they didn’t know.

The view was shared universally across age groups and along party lines, with 72 per cent of ­Coalition voters, 63 per cent of Labor voters and 57 per cent of Greens supporters backing the proposition.

While the level of concern was more pronounced among voters over 65 who lived through the Cold War – with 70 per cent citing Russia as a significant concern – 58 per cent of voters aged ­between 18 and 34 also agreed.

The threat posed by China in our region remained at very high levels – 74 per cent compared with 75 per cent when the same question was asked in January.

Again, while the concern was greater among older voters – 84 per cent among over 65s – 64 per cent of the youngest demographic also believed China posed a significant threat to Australia’s national security.

While Mr Morrison and the Coalition were rated as the better combination to handle both threats, the results were heavily skewed along partisan political lines.

While 73 per cent of Coalition voters backed the Morrison government to better handle Russian aggression, only 9 per cent of Labor ­voters backed the Morrison government and 12 per cent of Greens voters.

Similarly with the threat of China, 69 per cent of Coalition voters supported the government against 10 per cent of Labor voters and 15 per cent of Greens voters.

With concerns about Covid-19 waning, the ­Coalition has improved its position marginally as the better party to handle the recovery out of the pandemic.

A poll in January had Labor in front on the question of the ­recovery with 33 per cent to 32 per cent.

This has now turned around to favour of the Prime Minister, with 32 per cent still believing the Coalition would be better at managing the pandemic recovery but Labor dropping to 30 per cent.