Q. How much trust do you have in the following institutions and organisations?
| Total
trust |
A lot of trust | Some trust | A little trust | No trust | Don’t know | % change | Total trust
Jun 12 |
Total trust
Mar 13 |
Total trust
Jul 14 |
Total trust
Oct 15 |
|||
| State police | 63% | 22% | 41% | 24% | 10% | 3% | -5 | – | – | – | 68% | ||
| Federal police | 63% | 23% | 40% | 25% | 8% | 4% | -4 | – | – | – | 67% | ||
| The High Court | 57% | 20% | 37% | 25% | 13% | 4% | -3 | 60% | 74% | 57% | 60% | ||
| The ABC | 53% | 16% | 37% | 27% | 13% | 8% | -2 | 54% | 70% | 54% | 55% | ||
| The Reserve Bank | 47% | 14% | 33% | 31% | 14% | 8% | -4 | 49% | 64% | 52% | 51% | ||
| Charitable organisations | 43% | 8% | 37% | 37% | 14% | 4% | -6 | 50% | 52% | 45% | 49% | ||
| Environment groups | 39% | 8% | 31% | 33% | 22% | 6% | -3 | 32% | 41% | 31% | 42% | ||
| Your local council | 36% | 6% | 30% | 35% | 24% | 4% | -4 | – | 34% | 33% | 40% | ||
| The Commonwealth Public Service | 36% | 5% | 31% | 38% | 17% | 9% | -2 | 30% | 36% | 31% | 38% | ||
| Business groups | 27% | 2% | 25% | 38% | 27% | 7% | -3 | 22% | 26% | 22% | 30% | ||
| State Parliament | 26% | 3% | 23% | 34% | 35% | 5% | -6 | – | 30% | 24% | 32% | ||
| Federal Parliament | 26% | 3% | 23% | 34% | 35% | 5% | -6 | 22% | 34% | 25% | 32% | ||
| Religious organisations | 26% | 5% | 21% | 27% | 40% | 6% | -4 | 27% | 27% | 26% | 30% | ||
| Trade unions | 25% | 3% | 22% | 31% | 35% | 8% | -2 | 22% | 25% | 22% | 27% | ||
| Political parties | 14% | 1% | 13% | 32% | 49% | 4% | -2 | 12% | 12% | 13% | 16% |
Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’
Overall trust in institutions has decreased a little since this question was asked last October.
Respondents had most trust in the State police (63%), Federal police (63%), the High Court (57%), the ABC (53%) and the Reserve Bank (47%). They had least trust in political parties (14%), trade unions (25%) religious organisations (26%) and business groups (27%).
The main changes since the last poll were for State Parliament, Federal Parliament and charitable organisations (all down 6%).
Q. Compared with 50 years ago, do you think the following issues in Australia today are better, worse or about the same?
| Total better | Total worse | A lot better | A little better | About the same | A little worse | A lot worse | Don’t know | ||
| Knowledge of international events | 63% | 12% | 34% | 29% | 21% | 7% | 5% | 5% | |
| Standard of living | 55% | 25% | 25% | 30% | 16% | 15% | 10% | 4% | |
| Health services | 54% | 25% | 26% | 28% | 15% | 14% | 11% | 4% | |
| Freedom from discrimination | 52% | 18% | 20% | 32% | 25% | 10% | 8% | 5% | |
| Quality of life | 52% | 24% | 21% | 31% | 21% | 17% | 7% | 3% | |
| Education services | 50% | 28% | 20% | 30% | 18% | 18% | 10% | 4% | |
| Job security | 21% | 55% | 5% | 16% | 20% | 26% | 29% | 5% | |
| Political leaders | 15% | 46% | 4% | 11% | 34% | 24% | 22% | 6% |
A majority believe that most issues are better in Australia today than 50 years ago.
The exceptions were job security (55% worse) and political leaders (46% worse).
Q. Do you think these issues for the next generation of Australians will be better, worse or about the same compared with today?
| Total better | Total worse | A lot better | A little better | About the same | A little worse | A lot worse | Don’t know | ||
| Knowledge of international events | 50% | 12% | 19% | 31% | 32% | 7% | 5% | 6% | |
| Freedom from discrimination | 42% | 19% | 11% | 31% | 33% | 11% | 8% | 5% | |
| Health services | 41% | 31% | 14% | 27% | 24% | 19% | 12% | 5% | |
| Education services | 40% | 27% | 11% | 29% | 28% | 18% | 9% | 4% | |
| Standard of living | 37% | 28% | 9% | 28% | 30% | 18% | 10% | 4% | |
| Quality of life | 34% | 27% | 8% | 26% | 35% | 18% | 9% | 5% | |
| Job security | 18% | 49% | 4% | 14% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 5% | |
| Political leaders | 15% | 35% | 3% | 12% | 44% | 19% | 16% | 6% |
Respondents were more likely to think that job security and political leadership would be worse for the next generation.
Otherwise, all other issues were more likely to be better – although not by the margins between today and 50 years ago.
Q. How much trust do you have in the following organisations to store your personal data safely and in a way that would prevent abuse?
| Total trust | A lot of trust | Some trust | Little trust | No trust | Don’t know | ||
| Security agencies such as the Australian Federal Police, local police and ASIO | 51% | 19% | 32% | 28% | 16% | 5% | |
| The Australian Bureau of Statistics | 46% | 12% | 34% | 29% | 20% | 5% | |
| Banks | 45% | 12% | 33% | 32% | 20% | 4% | |
| Federal Government departments | 37% | 8% | 29% | 32% | 26% | 5% | |
| Telecommunications companies and internet service providers | 30% | 4% | 26% | 37% | 28% | 5% | |
| Online shopping websites | 30% | 4% | 26% | 37% | 29% | 4% | |
| Social media sites e.g. Facebook | 20% | 3% | 17% | 32% | 44% | 5% |
A majority (51%) trust security agencies to store personal information. 46% trust the ABS and 45% trust banks. Internet based entities are trusted by only 30% or less.
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? If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to?
| Total | Last week
23/8/16 |
2 weeks ago
16/8/16 |
4 weeks ago
2/8/16 |
Election 7 Sep 13 | |||
| Liberal | 37% | 36% | 36% | 36% | |||
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |||
| Total Liberal/National | 40% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 45.6% | ||
| Labor | 37% | 36% | 37% | 37% | 33.4% | ||
| Greens | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 8.6% | ||
| Nick Xenophon Team | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | – | ||
| Other/Independent | 10% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 12.4% | ||
| 2 party preferred | |||||||
| Liberal National | 49% | 49% | 48% | 48% | 53.5% | ||
| Labor | 51% | 51% | 52% | 52% | 46.5% |
NB: Sample = 1,797. 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 2013 election.
Q. The Federal Government intends to hold a national vote on same sex marriage. If the question was “Do you approve of a law to permit people of the same sex to marry?” how would you vote?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Yes | 57% | 69% | 47% | 85% | 48% | 53% | 61% | 62% | 58% | 50% | ||
| No | 28% | 21% | 39% | 5% | 42% | 33% | 24% | 21% | 29% | 37% | ||
| Don’t know | 15% | 10% | 14% | 10% | 10% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 13% | 13% |
57% would vote “yes” in a plebiscite on same-sex marriage and 28% would vote “no”. 15% did not know how they would vote.
Those most likely to vote “yes” were Greens voters (85%), Labor voters (69%) and voters aged 18-34 (62%).
50% of those aged 65+ would vote “no”.
Q. If the national vote was not compulsory would you –
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Vote yes | Vote no | ||||
| Definitely vote | 48% | 51% | 51% | 58% | 51% | 46% | 51% | 44% | 46% | 58% | 54% | 51% | |||
| Probably vote | 24% | 23% | 27% | 24% | 22% | 26% | 22% | 28% | 24% | 18% | 27% | 19% | |||
| Probably not vote | 13% | 14% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 12% | 10% | 14% | |||
| Definitely not vote | 6% | 4% | 6% | 1% | 9% | 8% | 5% | 9% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 11% | |||
| Not sure | 8% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 6% | 11% | 6% | 5% | 6% |
If voting in the plebiscite on same-sex marriage was not compulsory, 48% say they would definitely vote, and 24% would probably vote. 19% would probably or definitely not vote.
81% of those voting “yes” would probably or definitely vote compared to 70% of those who would vote “no”.
Q. Do you expect this national vote on same sex marriage will pass?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Vote yes | Vote no | ||||
| Yes | 47% | 48% | 48% | 58% | 46% | 48% | 45% | 53% | 43% | 46% | 63% | 24% | |||
| No | 24% | 22% | 26% | 17% | 31% | 28% | 20% | 18% | 28% | 23% | 11% | 55% | |||
| Not sure | 30% | 29% | 26% | 25% | 23% | 24% | 35% | 30% | 29% | 31% | 26% | 21% |
47% believe that the vote on same-sex marriage will pass and 24% think it will not pass.
63% of those voting “yes” think it will pass but 55% of those voting “no” think it will not pass.