By Lucas Baird
A new poll of Australian opinions on Donald Trump has revealed a "surprising" gap between what they think of the United States depending on whether he is mentioned.
The poll by the United States Study Centre at the University of Sydney identified a "statistically significant" difference between views of Australian voters and what they thought of American strength over the last 12 months depending on the mention of the President.
Forty-eight per cent of Labor voters and 35 per cent of Coalition voters replied the US was weaker when Mr Trump wasn't mentioned. When he was, those figures jumped to 60 per cent for Labor voters and the Coalition side fell to 29 per cent.
When they were asked their opinion "since the end of the Obama administration", 39 per cent of Coalition voters said the nation was weaker while Labor voters remained steady at 57 per cent.
Differing views on Trump are creating "fault lines" in the perception of value in the US-Australian relationship Credit: Andrew Harnik
USSC CEO Professor Simon Jackman said the gap was "really surprising".
"It's opening up a little more of a partisan divide than what we typically see if we were asking about Obama or before that even George W Bush," Professor Jackman said.
"Reactions, both inside the United States and here in Australia, have been so strong [to President Trump]."
He said the polarising nature of President Trump's term had reached Australia, with both sides of the political spectrum engaging with "echo chamber" media and politics.
"Conservatives in Australia are slightly more likely to be exposed to Australian media talking up Trump and the contrary is true for Labor and Greens voters."
The Professor claimed that this was exposing "fault lines" in the perception of value in the Australian-US relationship.
Professor Jackman fears that the bipartisan support in Australia for a strong US relation could soon be trumped by the temptation to play the "America card".
"Once you're in a world where that partisan cleavage is starting to open up [the US relationship] becomes harder to maintain," he said.
"If Australian domestic politics is tight and there is an issue that might work to your advantage. Politicians might be tempted to exploit that issue."