AFUO launches Ukraine-focused survey ahead of Australian Federal Election

As Australia approaches its Federal Election on May 3, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations (AFUO) has launched a “Ukraine Policy Survey,” which seeks to gauge the positions of key political candidates and parties on issues related to Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress also took part in developing the initiative to engage the bicameral legislature that will see all 150 members of the House of Representatives get elected and to fill 40 of the 76 vacant senatorial seats in the upper house of the nation’s parliament.

The idea for the survey emerged following discussions between AFUO and UWC President Paul Grod during his official visit to Australia.

High-profile Australian political candidates and major political parties were polled on their positions on a range of Ukraine-related issues. The initiative comes amid continued international focus on support for Ukraine, and reflects growing diaspora engagement in foreign policy matters during Australian election cycles.

The survey seeks to clarify each party’s political stance on such issues that include the confiscation of frozen Russian assets in favor of Ukraine, banning pro-war Russian symbols in Australia, supplying weapons to Ukraine, the possible deployment of peacekeepers, the repatriation of abducted Ukrainian children, and countering Russian disinformation, among others.

The survey findings will be published in due course. 

Responses will be compiled into a Ukraine Policy Scorecard.

“The Scorecard will be a key component of the AFUO’s National Policy Guide, which notes our community’s key advocacy priorities for the next term of Parliament,” the organization said.

Grod visited Australia from 8 to 22 March. During the visit, he met with several officials, including Foreign Minister Penny Wong.