Q. Do you think the Government should have more or less control of media ownership in Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | NSW | Victoria | |
| Should have more control | 24% | 29% | 17% | 38% | 28% | 22% |
| Should have less control | 24% | 17% | 30% | 30% | 23% | 29% |
| Has about the right control now | 34% | 38% | 38% | 18% | 34% | 34% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 16% | 15% | 14% | 16% | 16% |
Respondents were evenly divided over whether the Government should have more or less control of media ownership in Australia. 24% think they should have more control and 24% think they should have less – and 34% think they have about the right control.
Greens voters (38%) and Labor voters (29%) are more likely to think the Government should have more control and 30% of Liberal/National voters think they should have less control.
13
Australia – Fair and Just
Q. Compared to other advanced industrial countries would you say Australia is fairer and more just, about average, or less fair and just?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total more fair and just | 46% | 53% | 47% | 40% |
| A lot more fair and just | 14% | 18% | 14% | 7% |
| A little more fair and just | 32% | 35% | 33% | 33% |
| About average | 38% | 35% | 39% | 47% |
| A little less fair and just | 8% | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| A lot less fair and just | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 3% | 3% | 1% |
46% think that Australia is fairer and more just than other advanced industrial countries.
Labor voters (53%) are more likely to think Australia is more fair and just than Liberal/National voters (47%) or Greens voters (40%).
Q. Would you say that Australia is more or less fair and just as a nation and society than the following countries?
| More fair and just | About the same | Less fair and just | Don’t know | |
| China | 66% | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| The United States | 47% | 33% | 10% | 10% |
| Japan | 41% | 30% | 12% | 18% |
| France | 34% | 34% | 13% | 19% |
| The UK | 26% | 58% | 7% | 9% |
| Canada | 12% | 61% | 13% | 14% |
| New Zealand | 12% | 68% | 11% | 9% |
66% think Australia is a more fair and just society than China and 47% think Australia is more fair than the United States.
More than half think Australia is about as fair and just as New Zealand (68%), Canada (61%) and the UK (58%).
Views about the United States are similar across most demographic groups except for those on higher incomes – 51% of those on incomes over $1,600 pw think Australia is more fair and just than the United States.
Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,905 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
2 weeks ago | Last week
|
This week |
| Liberal | 45% | 44% | 44% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6% | 48% | 47% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0% | 35% | 34% | 33% |
| Greens | 11.8% | 10% | 10% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6% | 7% | 8% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 54% | 54% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 46% | 46% | 46% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election. Comments »
Q. Since the aboriginal tent embassy was established near Parliament House 40 years ago, have things got better or worse for Aboriginal people in Australia or have things stayed much the same?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total better | 53% | 59% | 53% | 60% |
| Total worse/same | 31% | 28% | 33% | 30% |
| A lot better | 25% | 29% | 28% | 9% |
| A little better | 28% | 30% | 25% | 51% |
| A little worse | 5% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
| A lot worse | 3% | 3% | 4% | 2% |
| Stayed much the same | 23% | 21% | 24% | 16% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 13% | 15% | 9% |
25% think that since the Aboriginal tent embassy was established near Parliament House 40 years ago, things got a lot better for Aboriginal people in Australia, 28% think things have got a little better and 31% worse or stayed the same
Greens voters are more likely to think things have only got a little better (51%). Older respondents were more likely to think things were the same or had got worse (40% of aged 55+).
Q. And thinking about the last 40 years, do you think Australia’s Aboriginal people are now better off or worse off in terms of the following?
| Total better | Total worse
/same |
A lot better | A little better | About the same | A little worse | A lot worse | Don’t know | |
| Health | 69% | 26% | 29% | 40% | 19% | 4% | 3% | 5% |
| Access to education | 77% | 19% | 42% | 35% | 14% | 3% | 2% | 5% |
| Access to jobs | 69% | 26% | 31% | 38% | 20% | 3% | 3% | 6% |
| Respect for Aboriginal culture | 66% | 29% | 30% | 36% | 20% | 5% | 4% | 6% |
| Control of traditional lands (land rights) | 63% | 29% | 31% | 32% | 21% | 5% | 3% | 8% |
| Discrimination against Aboriginal people | 56% | 37% | 23% | 33% | 28% | 5% | 4% | 6% |
A majority believe that Australia’s Aboriginal people are now better off or worse off on all issues measured.
Access to education was most likely to be considered better – 42% think it is a lot better and 35% a little better.
Discrimination against Aboriginal people was the issue least likely to have improved for Aboriginal people – 56% think it is better and 37% worse or the same. Comments »
Q. Are each of the following issues a larger problem or a smaller problem for Aboriginal people than they are for other Australians?
| Total bigger problem for Aboriginal people | A much bigger problem | A little bigger problem | A similar problem | A little smaller problem | A much smaller problem | Don’t know | |
| Alcohol abuse | 74% | 51% | 23% | 17% | 2% | 2% | 6% |
| Health issues | 65% | 37% | 28% | 21% | 6% | 4% | 5% |
| Unemployment | 63% | 37% | 26% | 22% | 6% | 4% | 6% |
| Loss of culture and tradition. | 56% | 29% | 27% | 26% | 5% | 6% | 8% |
| Discrimination | 55% | 25% | 30% | 28% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Family breakdown | 50% | 25% | 25% | 33% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
| Access to education | 44% | 17% | 27% | 31% | 10% | 8% | 6% |
| Threats to their environment | 41% | 18% | 23% | 37% | 7% | 6% | 9% |
| Access to accommodation | 40% | 15% | 25% | 30% | 12% | 9% | 10% |
| Access to services/ resources in rural communities | 37% | 17% | 20% | 30% | 13% | 11% | 9% |
| Legal rights | 30% | 11% | 19% | 34% | 13% | 15% | 8% |
A majority of respondents think Aboriginal people have larger problems than other Australians in terms of alcohol abuse (74%), health issues (65%), unemployment (63%), loss of culture and tradition (56%), discrimination (55%) and family breakdown (50%).
A majority believe they have similar or smaller problems in terms of legal rights (62%), access to services/resources in rural communities (54%), access to accommodation (51%) and threats to their environment (50%). Comments »
Q. Which party do you think is best to handle issues concerning Australia’s Aboriginal people?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 22% | 54% | 4% | 32% |
| The Liberal Party | 18% | 2% | 41% | 1% |
| No difference | 41% | 30% | 40% | 52% |
| Don’t know | 19% | 14% | 16% | 15% |
41% think there is no difference between the Liberal and Labor Parties in terms of handling issues concerning Australia’s Aboriginal people. 22% think the Labor Party is best and 18% favour the Liberal Party.
Liberal voters (41%) were less likely than Labor voters (54%) to think their own party would be best to handle Aboriginal issues. Comments »
6
Workers’ Pay
Q. Overall, do you think most Australian employers pay their workers what they are worth or do they pay them more or less than they are worth?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Full time workers | Part time workers | |
| Pay workers what they are worth | 37% | 41% | 42% | 23% | 41% | 33% |
| Pay workers more than they are worth | 12% | 6% | 19% | 6% | 15% | 8% |
| Pay workers less than they are worth | 37% | 38% | 31% | 56% | 35% | 45% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 15% | 9% | 15% | 8% | 14% |
37% of respondents think that, overall, most Australian employers pay their workers what they are worth – 37% think they pay them less than they are worth and 12% say they pay more than they are worth.
Part-time workers (45%) and women (42%) are more likely to think workers are paid less than they are worth. Comments »
6
Workers’ Productivity
Q. And overall, in your experience, how productive are most Australian workers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Full time workers | Part time workers | |
| Very productive | 15% | 20% | 14% | 16% | 18% | 14% |
| Quite productive | 59% | 63% | 57% | 58% | 58% | 62% |
| Not so productive | 19% | 13% | 24% | 19% | 19% | 18% |
| Not at all productive | 2% | 2% | 3% | 1% | 3% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 3% | 2% | 7% | 3% | 4% |
74% think that overall, most Australian workers are very or quite productive.
Labor voters (83%) are more likely than Liberal/National voters (71%) to think workers are productive. There were no significant differences across income or age groups. Comments »
Q. Business groups have said that Australia’s industrial relations laws favour workers and unions and should be changed so that businesses can increase productivity and have more flexibility with their workforce. Do you think Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers or do they balance the interests of workers and employers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Full time workers | Part time workers | |
| Favour employers | 25% | 29% | 23% | 36% | 27% | 25% |
| Favour workers | 24% | 15% | 39% | 12% | 26% | 20% |
| Balance the interests of employers and workers | 34% | 43% | 25% | 37% | 34% | 38% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 13% | 13% | 16% | 13% | 17% |
Respondents were evenly divided over whether Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers – 25% think they favour employers, 24% favour workers and 34% think they balance the interests of both.
Labor voters are more likely to think they balance workers and employers interests (43%) while Liberal/National voters are more likely to thin they favour workers (39%). Only 15% of Labor voters and 12% of Greens voters think the laws favour workers. Comments »
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 05 March 12
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