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New Australian poll shows majority now favour war
CANBERRA, March 25 (Reuters) - The number of Australians supporting the U.S.-led war against Iraq outweigh the opponents for the first time after a change in sentiment as the conflict began last week, according to an opinion poll on Tuesday.
The Newspoll survey of 1,200 people in The Australian newspaper found support for military action to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein rose to 50 percent as war began from 45 percent, with more backing from women, younger people and opposition Labor supporters.
The number opposing Australia's involvement in the war, with 2,000 Australian military personnel now in action in the Gulf, fell to 42 percent in the March 21-23 survey from 47 percent in a similar poll conducted on the eve of the conflict.
But the leader of the left-leaning Greens Party, Bob Brown, a leading anti-war campaigner, said not too much significance should be placed on the latest poll with daily protests against the conflict continuing around the country.
"If the battle doesn't go right, that support will fall away very quickly," Brown told reporters.
The turnaround in sentiment is mirrored in polling in Britain where there was a large swing in opinion as the conflict began on March 20, with 54 percent of Britons now approving of the war.
U.S. President George W. Bush has the support of his nation for the military conflict that has divided world opinion.
The Newspoll survey found the change in Australians' sentiment had also boosted the standing of Prime Minister John Howard and his conservative government which has consistently led in the polls since winning a third term in government in 2001.
Sixty percent of 1,150 respondents chose Howard as preferred prime minister, up from 51 percent in a poll a week earlier, and his coalition government had 45 percent support compared to Labor's 34 percent. The next election is due by early 2005.
Support for Labor leader Simon Crean, who is struggling to gain traction with voters, fell again with only 19 percent of respondents choosing him as preferred leader, down from 22 percent, and 58 percent dissatisfied with his performance.
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I threw in the "intelligent" part for effect.
CANBERRA, March 25 (Reuters) - The number of Australians supporting the U.S.-led war against Iraq outweigh the opponents for the first time after a change in sentiment as the conflict began last week, according to an opinion poll on Tuesday.
The Newspoll survey of 1,200 people in The Australian newspaper found support for military action to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein rose to 50 percent as war began from 45 percent, with more backing from women, younger people and opposition Labor supporters.
The number opposing Australia's involvement in the war, with 2,000 Australian military personnel now in action in the Gulf, fell to 42 percent in the March 21-23 survey from 47 percent in a similar poll conducted on the eve of the conflict.
But the leader of the left-leaning Greens Party, Bob Brown, a leading anti-war campaigner, said not too much significance should be placed on the latest poll with daily protests against the conflict continuing around the country.
"If the battle doesn't go right, that support will fall away very quickly," Brown told reporters.
The turnaround in sentiment is mirrored in polling in Britain where there was a large swing in opinion as the conflict began on March 20, with 54 percent of Britons now approving of the war.
U.S. President George W. Bush has the support of his nation for the military conflict that has divided world opinion.
The Newspoll survey found the change in Australians' sentiment had also boosted the standing of Prime Minister John Howard and his conservative government which has consistently led in the polls since winning a third term in government in 2001.
Sixty percent of 1,150 respondents chose Howard as preferred prime minister, up from 51 percent in a poll a week earlier, and his coalition government had 45 percent support compared to Labor's 34 percent. The next election is due by early 2005.
Support for Labor leader Simon Crean, who is struggling to gain traction with voters, fell again with only 19 percent of respondents choosing him as preferred leader, down from 22 percent, and 58 percent dissatisfied with his performance.
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I threw in the "intelligent" part for effect.
I thought they all lived in the outback, drank fosters, and played with kangaroos and dingos.
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