According to author Marjorie Newton, there are several cultural factors that have prevented the growth of the LDS Church in Australia. The first cultural obstacle between Australia and the LDS Church is Australia-U.S. tensions. Since World War II, tensions between the United States and Australia have run higher due to United States involvement in various wars such as the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Additionally, Australia has criticised the United States for not becoming involved in the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in the late 1900s. Finally, the United States is Australia's greatest trade competitor. Since the LDS Church was established in the United States and a great number of missionaries in Australia were from the United States, Australians did not always favourably view American missionaries. In addition, Australian society is largely secular, not religious. The Australian ideal is anti-authoritarian and anti-institutional, thus there is an underlying apprehension to the growth of any type of major institution, particularly a religious institution. Furthermore, church attendance and Sabbath-day observance in Australia is low. A 1991 survey found that 17% of Australians reported attending church monthly, compared to 34% in the United States. Moreover, discussing religion in Australia is often considered taboo, even for those who consider themselves religious.