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  • Mar, 2013

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    Immigration issues

    Q. Which of the following issues are you most concerned about?

    (two versions of responses were presented – each to approximately half the sample)

    The arrival of asylum seekers by boat

    38%

    33%

    The arrival of approximately 15,000 asylum seekers by boat each year

    The use of foreign workers under short term (457) visas

    20%

    31%

    The use of about 150,000 foreign workers under short term (457) visas each year

    The overall increase in Australia’s total population

    18%

    17%

    The overall increase in Australia’s total population of about 300,000 people each year

    None of them

    19%

    15%

    None of them

    Don’t know

    4%

    4%

    Don’t know

    As general issues (without specific figures), 38% of respondents said they were most concerned about the arrival of asylum seekers by boat compared to 20% most concerned about use of workers on 457 visas and 18% most concerned about the overall population increase.

    When approximate figures were specified for each option, most concern about asylum seekers dropped to 33% and most concern about 457 visas increased to 31%.

    Based on the options which included figures – 36% of Labor voters are most concerned about 457 visas compared to 32% of Liberal/National voters. Liberal/National voters were more concerned about asylum seekers (42% – compared to 23% for Labor voters).

    There were few differences by age or gender – except that older respondents were somewhat more likely to be most concerned about asylum seekers (42% of aged 55+).

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