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Global values or national interest? Public opinion towards foreign aid in Australia

Version 2 2024-06-02, 22:55
Version 1 2023-07-17, 05:51
journal contribution
posted on 2023-07-17, 05:51 authored by Danielle ChubbDanielle Chubb, I McAllister
This article examines Australian attitudes towards foreign aid and the intersection of these attitudes with broader debates around the purpose and level of the aid program. Drawing on surveys conducted over six decades, we show that the public broadly supports the principle of foreign aid, but are much less supportive of aid expenditure, especially judged against other areas of government spending. Using the 2022 Lowy Poll, we test four hypotheses to explain public support for foreign aid. The results show that both values and interests shape the public’s views of foreign aid spending. The challenge for policymakers is to craft messages about foreign aid which present aid expenditure as being relevant to both the values and interests relevant to the lives of everyday Australians.

History

Journal

Australian Journal of International Affairs

Volume

ahead-of-print

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

1035-7718

eISSN

1465-332X

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

ahead-of-print

Publisher

ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD