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Australians are divided on whether we should have a presence in Iraq with 50% of Australians believing we should and 46% saying we shouldn’t while 4% are undecided. However given that the troops are there, the majority of Australians (58%) agree with Prime Minister Mr Howard that Australian troops should stay in Iraq until the job is done, 38% agree with Mr Latham that we should bring the troops home by Christmas while 4% are undecided - a special Morgan telephone poll conducted on Wednesday and Thursday nights finds.

Attitude towards whether we should stay in Iraq changes depending on who asks us. There is strong disagreement (61%) on staying in Iraq if the US asks us to stay while 63% say we should continue to have a military presence in Iraq if asked by the new Iraqi Government and 84% would agree if the UN sent peacekeepers to Iraq.

During the Vietnam War initially there was more support for Australian troops in Vietnam than there is today in Iraq. In May 1967 the Morgan Poll found that 62% of electors supported Australia continuing its presence in Vietnam, while 24% wanted to bring all our forces back and 14% were undecided. However, by 1970 electors were almost evenly split (43% continue — 45% bring home — 12% undecided), and by April 1971 the Morgan Poll found that 37% said we should continue, 48% said bring the troops back and 15% were undecided.

Gary Morgan says:

“The Morgan Poll results show strong approval for Mr Howard’s stance that Australian troops should stay in Iraq until the job is done. However, unless the UN brings in peace keepers or the US hands over peacekeeping to a new Iraqi regime at the end of June, then Australian public opinion could change, as the Morgan Poll shows few support a continued military presence if only requested by the US.”

This latest Morgan Poll was conducted by telephone on the nights of Wednesday March 31 and Thursday April 1 with an Australia wide cross-section of 546 electors. The telephone Poll showed a small swing back to the L-NP. If an election had been held the ALP would still have won: ALP - 53% L-NP - 47%. Telephone polls next week should show a similar result. The next face-to-face Morgan Poll taken after the Howard — Latham clash over bringing the troops home from Iraq will be released on Thursday, April 6, 2004 — www.roymorgan.com.

For further information:

Michele Levine Office: (03) 92245 5215 Mobile: 0411 129 093 Home: (03) 9817-3066
Gary Morgan Mobile: 0411 129 094

Table 1 . Now thinking about Iraq — In your opinion should Australia have a military presence in Iraq?

# Sample sizes under 50 should be treated with caution

Table 2. Mr Latham has said that we should bring Australian troops home by Christmas while Mr Howard has said that we should keep Australian troops in Iraq until the job is done. In your opinion should we bring the troops home by Christmas or keep them there until the job’s done?

# Sample sizes under 50 should be treated with caution

Table 3 . If the new Iraqi Government asked us to stay in Iraq, should we continue to have a military presence in Iraq or not?

# Sample sizes under 50 should be treated with caution

Table 4 . If the US decided to keep occupying Iraq and the US asked us to stay in Iraq, should we continue to have a military presence in Iraq or not?

# Sample sizes under 50 should be treated with caution

Table 5 . If the UN sent peacekeepers to Iraq and asked us to stay in Iraq, should we continue to have a military presence in Iraq or not?

# Sample sizes under 50 should be treated with caution

Finding No. 3726 is taken from Computer Report No. 1944

The Morgan Poll is conducted by the
ONLY Australian or New Zealand member of the Gallup International Association.
No other public opinion poll taken in Australia or New Zealand
has this qualification.

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