Immigration and multiculturalism
Q. Do you think the levels of immigration into Australia over the past ten years has been…?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Apr 18 | |||
| NET: Too high | 56% | 47% | 67% | 28% | 77% | 55% | 57% | 38% | 58% | 69% | 64% | ||
| NET: Too low | 12% | 16% | 5% | 29% | 3% | 11% | 12% | 17% | 11% | 8% | 5% | ||
| Much too high | 33% | 26% | 37% | 11% | 57% | 32% | 34% | 19% | 35% | 42% | 37% | ||
| A little too high | 23% | 21% | 30% | 16% | 20% | 23% | 23% | 19% | 23% | 28% | 27% | ||
| About right | 26% | 32% | 25% | 38% | 16% | 31% | 22% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 23% | ||
| A little too low | 7% | 10% | 4% | 14% | 2% | 6% | 8% | 10% | 7% | 5% | 4% | ||
| Much too low | 4% | 7% | 1% | 15% | 1% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 1% | ||
| Don’t know | 6% | 5% | 3% | 6% | 3% | 3% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 3% | 7% |
Over half of Australians (56%) think that the level of immigration into Australia over the last ten years has been too high, but this has decreased from 64% in April 2018. 26% think it is about right and only 12% think it is too low.
Over 60% of Liberal/National voters (67%) think it is too high.
38% of people aged 18-35 think the immigration level is too high, this rises to 58% of 35-54 years olds and 69% among those aged over 55.
Statements about immigration and multiculturalism
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements regarding multiculturalism in Australia?
| NET: Agree | NET: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| Immigration has made a positive contribution to Australian society | 67% | 26% | 27% | 40% | 16% | 10% | 7% |
| Multiculturalism enriches the social and economic lives of Australians | 67% | 27% | 27% | 40% | 18% | 9% | 6% |
| Multiculturalism causes social division and religious extremism in Australia | 53% | 40% | 19% | 34% | 24% | 16% | 7% |
Over two-thirds of Australians agree that ‘Immigration has made a positive contribution to Australian society’ (67%) and ‘Multiculturalism enriches the social and economic lives of Australians’ (67%).
However, over half (53%) expressed a concern that ‘Multiculturalism causes social division and religious extremism in Australia’. Concern was highest among those aged over 55 years (60%).
Immigration level
Q. Overall, do you think the level of immigration into Australia over the last ten years has been too high, too low or about right?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Oct 2016 | |||
| Total too high | 64% | 62% | 68% | 35% | 86% | 50% | ||
| Total too low | 5% | 6% | 4% | 21% | 2% | 12% | ||
| Much too high | 37% | 34% | 37% | 17% | 64% | 28% | ||
| A little too high | 27% | 28% | 31% | 18% | 22% | 22% | ||
| About right | 23% | 24% | 26% | 37% | 9% | 28% | ||
| A little too low | 4% | 5% | 3% | 16% | 1% | 8% | ||
| Much too low | 1% | 1% | 1% | 5% | 1% | 4% | ||
| Don’t know | 7% | 7% | 3% | 8% | 3% | 10% |
64% think that the level of immigration into Australia over the last ten years has been too high – up from 50% recorded in October 2016. 23% think it is about right and only 5% think it is too low. Over 60% of both Labor and Liberal National voters think it is too high.
57% of those aged under 45 think it is too high compared to 71% of those aged 45+.
Types of immigration
Q. Australia migration intake is currently made up of about 190,000 permanent migrants each year and more than one million people here on temporary visas at any given time. For each of the following classes of migration would you like to see more or fewer?
| More | Fewer | No change | Don’t know | |
| Short-term business visas | 13% | 34% | 36% | 16% |
| Short-term student visas | 19% | 29% | 39% | 13% |
| Short-term working holiday visas | 16% | 33% | 38% | 13% |
| Skilled working visas | 22% | 36% | 29% | 13% |
| Short-term working visas (eg 457s) | 12% | 47% | 26% | 15% |
| Permanent family reunion | 22% | 34% | 30% | 14% |
| Permanent refugee | 19% | 46% | 21% | 14% |
47% think there should be fewer short-tern working visas and 46% want fewer permanent refugees. About one third wanted fewer in each of the other visa categories. Respondents were more likely to want no change in short-term student visas (39%), short-term working holiday visas (38%) and short-term business visas (36%).
Statements about immigration
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
| Total agree | Total disagree | Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | ||
| Bringing in foreign workers on short-term visas undermines local jobs | 63% | 25% | 26% | 37% | 20% | 5% | 12% | |
| Our cities can’t cope with further population growth and we should reduce immigration until the infrastructure in in place | 62% | 25% | 30% | 32% | 19% | 6% | 13% | |
| Overall immigration has made a positive contribution to Australian society | 61% | 26% | 17% | 44% | 16% | 10% | 13% | |
| Immigration should be slowed as it causes too much change to our society | 55% | 33% | 23% | 32% | 24% | 9% | 14% | |
| Australia has a fragile environment that cannot bear further increases in population | 51% | 34% | 20% | 31% | 27% | 7% | 16% | |
| Migrants provide skills we need in the workforce to keep the economy strong. | 49% | 40% | 9% | 40% | 28% | 12% | 11% | |
| With an aging population, we need immigration to ensure we have enough younger, working age people to pay taxes and deliver services. | 42% | 45% | 10% | 32% | 31% | 14% | 13% | |
| Australia has the space and resources to cope with a much larger population | 37% | 51% | 8% | 29% | 31% | 20% | 13% | |
| Without immigration the rate of economic growth will fall, reducing living standards for all of us. | 31% | 51% | 8% | 23% | 33% | 18% | 18% |
A solid majority agreed that –
- Bringing in foreign workers on short-term visas undermines local jobs (63% agree)
- Our cities can’t cope with further population growth and we should reduce immigration until the infrastructure in in place (62%)
- Overall immigration has made a positive contribution to Australian society (61%)
- Immigration should be slowed as it causes too much change to our society (55%)
A majority disagreed that –
- Without immigration the rate of economic growth will fall, reducing living standards for all of us. (51% disagree)
- Australia has the space and resources to cope with a much larger population (51%)
Immigration issues
Q. Which of the following issues are you most concerned about?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Mar 2013 | |||
| The arrival of asylum seekers by boat | 36% | 26% | 51% | 17% | 40% | 38% | ||
| The use of foreign workers under short term (457) visas | 21% | 29% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 20% | ||
| The overall increase in Australia’s total population | 20% | 22% | 16% | 25% | 27% | 18% | ||
| None of them | 17% | 18% | 10% | 32% | 16% | 19% | ||
| Don’t know | 6% | 5% | 4% | 8% | – | 4% |
36% were most concerned about the arrival of asylum seekers by boat, 21% about the use of foreign workers under short term (457) visas and 20% about the overall increase in Australia’s total population (20%).
Liberal/National voters were most concerned about the arrival of asylum seekers by boat (51%) while Labor voters were more concerned about the use of foreign workers under short term (457) visas (29%).
These results are very similar to when this question was asked in 2013.
Immigration and Religion
Q. When a family applies to migrate to Australia, should it be possible for them to be rejected purely on the basis of their religion?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Feb 2011 | Sep 2014 | |||
| Should be rejected on basis of religion | 24% | 19% | 30% | 16% | 41% | 19% | 21% | ||
| Should not be rejected on basis of religion | 56% | 64% | 51% | 73% | 45% | 65% | 63% | ||
| Don’t know | 20% | 17% | 19% | 12% | 13% | 15% | 17% |
56% believed that when a family applies to migrate to Australia, they should not be rejected purely on the basis of their religion and 24% think it should be possible to reject purely based on religion. This represents a drop in opposition to rejecting migrants purely on the basis of religion.
Liberal voters were a little more supportive of being able to reject based on religion (30%) and Greens voters were strongly opposed (73%). 64% of those aged under 35 were opposed.
Immigration level
Q. Overall, do you think the level of immigration into Australia over the last ten years has been too high, too low or about right?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total too high | 50% | 43% | 58% | 20% | 68% | 52% | 48% | 40% | 50% | 64% | ||
| Total too low | 12% | 16% | 7% | 34% | 8% | 9% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 9% | ||
| Much too high | 28% | 25% | 29% | 8% | 48% | 30% | 26% | 19% | 29% | 39% | ||
| A little too high | 22% | 18% | 29% | 12% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 25% | ||
| About right | 28% | 30% | 31% | 39% | 19% | 31% | 25% | 31% | 28% | 25% | ||
| A little too low | 8% | 9% | 6% | 19% | 5% | 6% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 7% | ||
| Much too low | 4% | 7% | 1% | 15% | 3% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 2% | ||
| Don’t know | 10% | 11% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 7% | 13% | 14% | 10% | 3% |
50% think that the level of immigration into Australia over the last ten years has been too high, 28% think it has been about right and 12% think it has been too low.
Those most likely to think it has been too high were Liberal/National voters (58%), other party voters (68%) and people aged 55+ (64%).
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