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  • May, 2020

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    Opening schools following Covid-19

    Q. Which of the following is closest to your views on the reopening of schools?

        Parent/Guardian Status
      Total I am a parent/guardian of

    school-aged children

    I am not a parent/guardian of school-aged children
    Schools should only open for children of essential workers 32% 36% 30%
    Schools should re-open for all children 45% 44% 46%
    Schools should remain closed with all teaching conducted online 23% 20% 24%
    Base (n) 1,093 291 802
  • May, 2020

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    Views on opening schools following Covid-19

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following questions about children returning to school following the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree, nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
    Schools should teach most students remotely until the Covid-19 outbreak passes 50% 25% 23% 27% 25% 15% 10%
    It’s unreasonable to expect teachers to prepare separate lessons for children who are learning remotely and for children who still attend school 52% 21% 23% 30% 27% 12% 8%
    Even if schools in my state are open, I will still choose to keep my children home because of the Covid-19 outbreak

    (PARENT/GUARDIAN ONLY)

    41% 36% 17% 25% 23% 18% 17%
  • May, 2017

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    Education Cuts

    Q. The Government is proposing to increase student fees for university education by 7.5% over 4 years and cut University funding by 2.8 per cent. To what extent do you agree with these statements about the proposed changes?

      Total agree Total disagree   Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
    The changes are needed to reduce the Federal Budget Deficit 34% 41%   11% 23% 17% 21% 20% 7%
    These changes will make it harder for young people to enter the housing market 53% 22%   24% 29% 18% 15% 7% 6%
    Universities have plenty of funding. They can absorb a cut without it damaging the quality of education. 37% 30%   10% 27% 23% 18% 12% 9%
    With university fees up, penalty rates reduced, and housing affordability becoming harder, young people have cause to feel they are under attack. 61% 17%   29% 32% 17% 10% 7% 5%
    University education should be free for all Australians, just like it is for primary and secondary school 45% 29%   24% 21% 20% 19% 10% 5%
    These changes will make it harder for Australia to become more innovative. 49% 21%   23% 26% 21% 14% 7% 7%
    A government that cuts university funding while delivering business a tax cut has the wrong priorities 57% 16%   32% 25% 21% 10% 6% 6%

    The most widely agreed with statement was “With university fees up, penalty rates reduced, and housing affordability becoming harder, young people have cause to feel they are under attack”. Those most likely to agree with this statement were Greens voters (82%) and ALP voters (76%). Those most likely to disagree were those aged 65+ (28% disagree) and Liberal/National voters (27%).

    The most widely disagreed with statement was “The changes are needed to reduce the Federal Budget Deficit”. Those most likely to disagree with this statement were also Greens voters (73% disagree) and ALP voters (54%). Those most likely to agree were also Liberal/National voters (54% agree) and those aged 65+ (49%).

  • May, 2017

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    Student Contributions to University Fees

    Q. Currently, on average, university students pay 42% of the full cost of their degree and the Government pays 58%. Do you think that students should pay more, should pay less or is the current share about right?

      Total   Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other  
    Should pay less 31%   37% 18% 63% 26%  
    Should pay more 20%   13% 34% 7% 24%  
    Current share about right 37%   41% 38% 24% 39%  
    Don’t know 12%   9% 10% 6% 11%  

    37% thought that the current share of students’ cost of education is about right. Those most likely to think this were ALP voters (41%) and those aged 55-64 (41%).

    31% thought that students should pay less. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (63%), those aged 18-24 (38%) and those aged 25-34 (38%).

    20% thought that students should pay more. Those most likely to think this were Liberal/National voters (34%) and those aged 65+ (31%).

  • Oct, 2015

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    Party Trust to Handle Issues

    Q: Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

      Liberal Labor Greens Don’t know   Difference   Difference

    Sep 2015

    Management of the economy 41% 23% 4% 32% +18 +16
    Ensuring a quality education for all children 28% 35% 7% 30% -7 -4
    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 28% 33% 8% 30% -5 -2
    Protecting the environment 18% 16% 39% 26% -21 -20
    A fair industrial relations system 27% 38% 5% 30% -11 -8
    Political leadership 38% 20% 7% 36% +18 +9
    Addressing climate change 19% 23% 31% 27% -12 -12
    Controlling interest rates 36% 22% 4% 37% +14 +16
    Australian jobs and protection of local industries 28% 35% 6% 31% -7 -5
    Ensuring a quality water supply 25% 20% 24% 31% +5 +7
    Housing affordability 24% 31% 7% 38% -7
    Ensuring a fair taxation system 31% 31% 6% 32% +4
    Security and the war on terrorism 41% 19% 5% 36% +22 +20
    Treatment of asylum seekers 28% 21% 17% 34% +7 +12
    Managing population growth 32% 19% 9% 40% +13 +11

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Labor % from Liberal % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Liberal minus Greens.

    The Liberal Party is trusted more to handle security and the war on terrorism (+22), management of the economy (+18), political leadership (+18) and controlling interest rates (+14). The Labor Party is trusted more to handle a fair industrial relations system (-11) and Australian jobs, protection of local industries (-7), ensuring a quality education (-7) and housing affordability (-7).

    Main changes since this question was asked last month have been an improvement for the Liberal Party on political leadership (up net 9 points), and improvement for the Labor Party on housing affordability (up 7) and treatment of asylum seekers (up 5).

  • Jun, 2014

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    Party Trust to Handle Issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

     

    Difference

    3 June 14

    Difference 11 Feb 14

    Management of the economy

    28%

    41%

    4%

    28%

    -13

    -19

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    43%

    28%

    6%

    23%

    +15

    +7

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    41%

    28%

    7%

    24%

    +13

    +2

    Protecting the environment

    20%

    18%

    40%

    22%

    +22

    +15

    A fair industrial relations system

    40%

    29%

    6%

    26%

    +11

    +5

    Political leadership

    28%

    34%

    5%

    33%

    -6

    -13

    Addressing climate change

    22%

    20%

    32%

    26%

    +12

    +3

    Controlling interest rates

    28%

    40%

    3%

    29%

    -12

    -17

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    40%

    28%

    5%

    27%

    +12

    +2

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    21%

    26%

    25%

    28%

    -5

    -10

    Housing affordability

    31%

    27%

    6%

    35%

    +4

    -2

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    32%

    33%

    6%

    29%

    -1

    -6

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    39%

    5%

    33%

    -16

    -16

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    20%

    37%

    14%

    29%

    -17

    -16

    Managing population growth

    21%

    31%

    9%

    38%

    -10

    -11

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.

    The Liberal Party is trusted more to handle management of the economy (-13), controlling interest rates (-12), security and the war on terrorism (-16) and treatment of asylum seekers (-17). The Labor Party is trusted more to handle a quality education for all children (+15), ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system  (+13), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+12) and a fair industrial relations system (+11).

    Since this question was asked in February, the Labor Party has improved its position on most issues – especially the quality of the health system (up 11), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (up 10) and education (up 8).

  • Apr, 2014

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    Most important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    Total

    22 Apr 14

     

    Vote ALP

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Grn

    Vote other

     

    23 Jul 13

    30 Jul 12

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    54%

    43%

    75%

    22%

    44%

    45%

    64%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    27%

    35%

    18%

    38%

    20%

    25%

    26%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    50%

    54%

    43%

    62%

    52%

    42%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    13%

    12%

    7%

    42%

    14%

    12%

    11%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    12%

    17%

    11%

    8%

    12%

    10%

    12%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    15%

    11%

    24%

    6%

    13%

    21%

    25%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    10%

    13%

    4%

    28%

    9%

    11%

    9%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    9%

    9%

    11%

    2%

    7%

    13%

    9%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    37%

    39%

    37%

    18%

    37%

    39%

    41%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    4%

    5%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    17%

    18%

    16%

    13%

    19%

    17%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    20%

    19%

    20%

    9%

    23%

    20%

    18%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    5%

    3%

    8%

    3%

    5%

    8%

    5%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    8%

    5%

    5%

    32%

    9%

    14%

    10%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    9%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    16%

    9%

    8%

    12%

    na

    54% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 50% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 37% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 27% ensuring a quality education for all children.

    Main changes since this question was asked last July – management of the economy up 9%, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system up 8%, political leadership down 6% and treatment of asylum seekers down 6%.

  • Mar, 2014

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    Government Responsibilities

    Q. Which of the following should be mainly the responsibility of the Federal Government and which should be mainly the responsibility of the State Governments – or should they have equal responsibility?

     

    Mainly Federal

    Mainly State

    Both

    equally

    Don’t know

    Improving the health system

    43%

    11%

    41%

    6%

    Addressing climate change

    41%

    4%

    45%

    9%

    Improving the education system

    40%

    14%

    40%

    6%

    Industrial relations issues

    39%

    13%

    40%

    8%

    Managing mining projects and mining profits

    39%

    20%

    32%

    9%

    Managing the environment

    32%

    11%

    50%

    7%

    Managing our water resources

    25%

    23%

    46%

    6%

    Constructing new roads and highways

    21%

    33%

    41%

    6%

    Investing in regional areas

    16%

    40%

    37%

    7%

    Investing in public transport

    11%

    52%

    32%

    6%

    Issues which were considered mainly Federal responsibilities were the health system, climate change and education.

    Public transport and regional investment were considered to be more the responsibilities of the State Governments.

    The environment, managing water resources and constructing new roads and highways were more likely to be considered a shared responsibility.

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