Q. This year is the 20th anniversary of the High Court’s “Mabo” decision which established land rights for Australia’s indigenous people.
Do you think this decision has been good or bad for the following –
|
Total good |
Total bad |
Very good |
Good |
Made no difference |
Bad |
Very bad |
Don’t know |
|
| Aboriginal people |
65% |
4% |
27% |
38% |
19% |
3% |
1% |
11% |
| Farmers |
15% |
35% |
4% |
11% |
32% |
28% |
7% |
17% |
| Miners |
13% |
35% |
3% |
10% |
35% |
26% |
9% |
17% |
| Regional communities |
30% |
23% |
6% |
24% |
32% |
17% |
6% |
15% |
| All Australians |
33% |
22% |
10% |
23% |
30% |
16% |
6% |
14% |
Two thirds (65%) believe that the “Mabo” decision has been good for aboriginal people and only 4% think it has been bad. A majority of all voter groups think it has been good for aboriginal people – 80% of Greens voters, 72% of Labor voters and 63% of Liberal/National voters.
Respondents were also more likely to think the decision was good for regional communities (30% good/23% bad) and all Australian (33%/22%).
35% think it has been bad for farmers and miners. However, 47% think it has been good or made no difference for farmers and 48% think it has been good or made no difference for miners.
Liberal/National voters were more inclined to think it was bad for all groups other than aboriginal people. For all Australians, 62% of Greens voters, 44% of Labor voters and 25% of Liberal/National voters think it has been good.