Australians are proud of their country, with all but 8 per cent saying they are somewhat or very proud of their country. Australians report high levels of pride across a range of dimensions of Australian society.
Almost all respondents are proud of being Australian.
Australians are as proud of scientific achievements as they are of sporting glories.
Pride in Australia is not unquestioning, with nearly two thirds disagreeing that they should support the country if it is in the wrong.
More people Identify with their country rather than with their town, state or the Asian region.
While 2015 represents the lowest level of pride in Australia, percentages have consistently been above 90 per cent over the last decade and a half.
That pride in country is echoed in pride in a range of areas.
Unsurprisingly, given the attention it garners, people are most proud of achievements in sports, but they are also similarly proud of Australia’s scientific and technological achievements. On both measures, 90 per cent of people were somewhat or very proud.
Pride in Australia’s armed forces and it’s arts and literature were both above 85 per cent, and pride in the way democracy works was also above 82 per cent. Just under a third of those surveyed were ‘were proud’ of the way democracy works and 49 per cent somewhat proud but the first measure has strengthened over the last two decades suggesting pride in Australia’s democracy has not necessarily become more widespread, but has strengthened.
67 per cent, the lowest level, of people were proud of Australia’s political influence in the world, and of its fair and equal treatment of all groups in society. Pride in political influence has increased dramatically over time, and pride in treatment of all groups has also risen over the last two decades.
Australians' pride in their nation is reflected in their views of Australia in the world. Nearly 80 per cent of respondents would rather be a citizen of Australia than of any other country in the world, and a similar amount (73 per cent) think Australia is, generally speaking, a better country than most others.
However both those figures have fallen by up to ten per cent in the last 12 years.
That trend extends to the view the world would be a better place if people from other countries were more like Australians. Only 41 per cent believe that to be the case, a number that has been stable for the last two decades. The percentage who disagree with the statement has grown by 17 per cent since 2003.
Australians are also not unquestioningly proud of their country. Nearly two thirds (61 per cent) don't agree people should support their country even if it is in the wrong. Only a quarter do believe in supporting their country, right or wrong.
Australians are more likely to identify with their country rather than their geographical region (Asia/Oceania) or their more precise location. An almost equal number feel close to the region (Asia/Oceania) as those who don’t feel close to it (48 per cent to 47 per cent).
However the number of those who feel close or very close to the region has gone up by 15 per cent in the last twenty years, a time which has increasingly focused on Australia’s place in Asia.
People feel much closer to their State (75 per cent) or their town or city (80 per cent).
But most of all they feel close to Australia. 90 per cent say they feel close or very close to Australia.