WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Approval of U.S. leadership nearly tripled among Australians and New Zealanders between 2008 and 2010. Approval jumped from 25% to 69% in Australia and from 22% to 65% in New Zealand. The 44- and 43-percentage point increases are two of the highest jumps Gallup has measured worldwide pre- and post-Obama.
These 2010 findings add to a trend Gallup documented from 2008 to 2009 where approval of U.S. leadership increased in many countries following the transfer of power from President George W. Bush to President Barack Obama. The relatively low approval ratings of U.S. leadership between 2005 and 2008 in Australia are consistent with a 2007 study conducted by U.S. Studies Center at University of Sydney, which found that 28% of Australians had a favorable opinion of Bush.
For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact SocialandEconomicAnalysis@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.
Survey Methods
Results for Australia are based on telephone interviews with 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, in May-June 2008 and February-March 2010. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.8 percentage points for each sample.
Results for New Zealand are based on telephone interviews with 750 adults, aged 15 and older, in May-June 2008 and February-March 2010. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±4.2 percentage points for each sample.
The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
