Tag Archive for: public opinion

How to fill gaps in AUKUS communication efforts

Gaps in AUKUS communication strategies limit public understanding of its benefits and allow malign actors, such as China and Russia, to sway public opinion.

A roundtable held by ASPI’s Washington office on 3 December served as a forum to address these gaps. It involved experts from academia, government and think tanks, and was the first in a series of roundtables aiming to improve AUKUS messaging strategies and public understanding through open and inclusive dialogue.

The question at the heart of this discussion was: ‘What are the most significant obstacles each AUKUS partner nation faces in effectively communicating the program’s public benefits, and how can these be addressed to build stronger public support?’

Early on, the participants identified the need to align the narratives surrounding AUKUS into a story.

A challenge in writing this story is to define what importance AUKUS has for the public in the future. AUKUS is fundamentally a security partnership, but it presents an opportunity for partner nations to reshape their economies by revitalising their defence industries and integrating them with each others’.

This promise of economic stimulation needs to be at the centre of the story that is communicated to the public. Citizens must be shown how investment into the defence priorities of AUKUS will improve their lives. Beyond economic growth, AUKUS’s technological advancements could revolutionise defence technologies. This could deliver broader societal benefits similar to the internet and GPS, which were both military inventions.

There should be an understanding from AUKUS governments that multiple levels of messaging will be needed to help AUKUS maintain its political resilience. These include the international, national and local levels.

Subnational messaging through local politicians and community leaders will be essential to building support for AUKUS in their relevant constituencies. These local voices can fight perceptions that defence is a dirty industry. They can also better define the immediate benefit to their constituents, framing the growth of defence industries as a net positive for their regions as it facilitates economic development and positions them as centres of innovation.

These communication channels can counter misinformation and politicisation surrounding AUKUS by increasing the transparency of the initiative’s objectives. Public engagement will dispel false narratives before they arise and ensure that AUKUS objectives cannot be co-opted for political advantage. It is also important that each nation has its own approach to messaging around AUKUS that reflects the concerns of its population.

Canberra currently faces a greater scrutiny for its AUKUS spending because Australians are more knowledgeable on the program than those of other partner nations. The government must acknowledge the tradeoff between massive spending on AUKUS and spending on issues facing young Australians, such as a cost-of-living crisis.  To justify this spending, the Australian government must communicate beyond the security benefits of the program and highlight the economic benefit AUKUS will bring to Australia, particularly in the form of high-paying science and technology jobs.

Britain must highlight the technological benefits of AUKUS, particularly for rejuvenating and sustaining the nation’s submarine industry for decades to come. Brexit significantly hampered London’s approach to economic engagement and technological cooperation with the EU, and AUKUS can provide some economic reprieve. Subnational messaging will be important to celebrate economic and technological wins in the post-Brexit context.

In the United States, foreign policy is rarely a voting issue, but the economy almost always is. Subnational messaging can be used to present economic benefits of AUKUS with a focus on domestic issues, rather than those on the other side of the planet. In Washington, it will be important to drive home the point that AUKUS is a counter to China’s growing influence to justify congressional spending and maintain its status as a bipartisan issue.

AUKUS will bring about change and technological advancement, but we may have to wait for it. It is difficult to sell benefits that are not immediate, but a constant focus on the future is necessary to maintain support for AUKUS in all three nations.

How the government can engage youth on AUKUS

AUKUS Pillar 1 won’t go anywhere without today’s young people. They’re the ones who will carry the decades-long program into action through industry and diplomacy. The Australian government had better get them on board.

This requires a communications plan that begins with finding out what they think: comments, questions and concerns. University and technical-college student bodies should be a focus.

The assertion that young people are sceptical of the prospect of nuclear-propelled submarines (SSNs) under the AUKUS partnership is not new. Polling finds lower levels of support from the 18-24 age group than from older people. These young critics believe AUKUS Pillar 1 will contribute to tensions and drive a dangerous arms race in the Indo-Pacific. The 2023 Lowy Institute Poll found that more young Australians believe Australia’s acquisition of SSNs will increase the risk of military conflict and regional instability (32.6 percent) than deter conflict and ensure stability (17.3 percent). Conversely, in all older age groups, more people believe the latter. Protests at the Australian National University (ANU) echo arguments of Australian ‘militarism’.

Some young critics argue that the government must first do more to tackle the rising cost of living, which directly affects student quality of life, rather than increasing defence spending. Anti-AUKUS posters seen at the ANU cite ‘Welfare, not warfare’, calling for the government to better address inflation. Only 17 percent of the 18–24 age group believe SSN-AUKUS is worth its estimated cost of $268 billion to $368 billion. Again, this approval rate steadily increases in older age groups.

The evidence that students cite in their criticisms reflect a general misunderstanding of the reasoning for AUKUS. The fault for this lies with the government in failing to be clear and transparent about the threats that Australia faces. But it isn’t too late.

So, what should the government do?

Greater awareness of Australia’s strategic environment among young people is needed, fostered through inclusive conversations and clear language on the purpose of AUKUS. The first step is to conduct large-scale focus group interviews and surveys nationwide, to assess students’ knowledge, misunderstandings and perceptions of AUKUS. By gauging understanding, the government can begin to inform their communication strategies and seek policy feedback. Using university channels such as online forum and announcement pages or mass emails would be a great place to start.

The next step is to work with universities to conduct town hall meetings. Creating a space for moderated dialogue between the government, academics and students will empower young people to feel a sense of urgency and responsibility for the future of national security. It will also create a more informed student body equipped to navigate the Australia’s strategic landscape. Explaining AUKUS in the university setting can dilute the complexity of its goals and make it more accessible to those studying a range of courses.

An action plan on communication is needed, and fast. Young people cannot be expected to support, and eventually deliver, an endeavour they know nothing about. The government should use digital platforms such as YouTube or Instagram. Short, informative videos or infographics can deliver AUKUS in a digestible and accessible way.

AUKUS dissent is part of a wider trend of young people’s disengagement from major-party policies. They feel like their voices aren’t being heard. Among voters aged 18-24, 28 percent voted for the Greens in the 2022 federal election, reflecting this trend. Young people move further towards the left each election cycle and prioritise policies on climate action and social equality.

Falling trust in government institutions is a global trend, worsened in Australia by major-party politics that don’t reflect the values of the young population. Fostering inclusivity in the AUKUS discussion is thus more crucial than ever.

By gathering university student insights, the government not only demonstrates a commitment to transparency and inclusivity but also enhances trust between policymakers and younger citizens. Ultimately, this feedback loop serves to promote informed public discourse, ensuring that policies such as AUKUS are effectively communicated and resonate with the values and concerns of the next generation of leaders.