Ever closer mates: The deep support for a United Kingdom-Australia free trade deal

The Adam Smith Institute’s latest paper, by Dr Michael Turner, Head of Research (Director) at C|T Group RSR and a Fellow of the ASI, and Matthew Lesh, Head of Research at the ASI, analyses our new poll on the UK-Australia free trade deal:

• Brits say that Australia is the number one priority to increase trade with and a clear majority in both countries want to secure a deal — this is built on the belief that Australia has high standards.

• The UK-Australia relationship is driven by deep connections between Brits and Aussies, a mutual interest in living and working across the two nations, and strong consumer demand for products made in each other’s countries

• Brits and Aussies are interested in a wide array of benefits from a trade deal, including; recognising qualifications, helping businesses grow to be internationally competitive, creating jobs, giving consumers more choice, and reducing barriers to investment.

• While a small, vocal minority, may have raised concerns about farming, a clear majority of Brits believe that British farmers can and should compete globally. Brits want more Australian wine, beef and lamb, and they have a high degree of confidence in Australian farming standards. If the deal does go ahead, Brits want a short transition period and do not consider protecting farmers to be a reason worth blocking the deal.

• If push came to shove, most Brits say that they would prefer to trade with Australia over the European Union, and more than four-fifths of voters feel that trade with Australia  should be at least as easy as it is with the EU. 

• Australians prioritise diversifying trade away from China, and a clear majority say that Australia should increase links with like-minded countries like the UK.

United Kingdom Key findings

• 65% support a free trade deal with Australia, 5% are opposed; there is majority support across all key demographic groups including all nations and English regions, and across the political spectrum.

• Two-thirds of Brits (66%) believe Australia has high standards of food safety and animal welfare, just 6% of people believe Australia has low standards

• 74% believe both countries will benefit from a free trade deal

• Australia is the top priority for more trade, with two-thirds (66%) of Brits saying the UK should trade more with Australia; followed by Canada (63%), New Zealand (61%), the United States (48%) and Japan (42%)

• 91% would feel comfortable being treated by an Australian nurse, 73% believe that nurse should not have to requalify before practicing in the UK

• 62% believe it should be easier to move between countries, 8% think it shouldn’t be easier

• 64% believe British farmers should compete on an equal basis with foreign imports of the same standards; 52% believe they should not be denied access to Australian farming goods produced at a lower price

• 63% would support a trade deal with Australia even if it means that increased competition would reduce profits for British farmers and some might go out of business; just 20% would prefer to block a deal to prevent British farmers having more competition

• 52% would opt for Australian beef as an alternative to British beef, just 24% would opt for EU beef

• 84% believe Australia should be able to trade with the UK more easily, or just as easily, than the EU

• 68% of people think that the transition period on beef and lamb should be 2 years or less

• A majority of Brits say they would buy more Australian wine (57%), beef (52%) and lamb (50%) if it were stocked more frequently. There is also interest in purchasing Anzac biscuits (33%), Tim Tams (28%), Kangaroo meat (23%), vegemite (23%) and lamingtons (20%).

Australia Key findings

• 69% support a free trade deal,  3% are opposed

• 72% want Australia to be trading more with the UK

• 73% believe both sides will benefit from a trade deal

• 73% believe there will be high demand for Australian goods in the UK

• 77% believe it is essential that Australia trades more freely with its closest allies

• Australians are interested in purchasing more British goods if they were stocked more frequently and cheaply, including shortbread (59%), British cheese (53%), jam and marmalade (51%), Cornish pasty (47%), Scottish whisky (45%), Yorkshire tea (41%), gin (36%), Marmite (25%) and Irn Bru (22%)

• 68% would also consider purchasing a British-manufactured car

• 67% believe banks should be able to operate in both banks

• 54% of Australians would prioritize expanding trade with UK, compared to 4% that want to prioritise China and 31% who say both