stronger unions, Unions in Australia
Q. Overall, would workers be better off or worse off if unions in Australia were stronger?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
Work full time |
Work part time |
|
10 Sep 12 |
20 May 13 |
|
| Total better off |
45% |
65% |
25% |
65% |
45% |
45% |
47% |
39% |
43% |
||
| Total worse off |
27% |
13% |
46% |
6% |
25% |
28% |
24% |
30% |
29% |
||
| A lot better off |
21% |
32% |
9% |
31% |
20% |
21% |
22% |
13% |
14% |
||
| A little better off |
24% |
33% |
16% |
34% |
25% |
24% |
25% |
26% |
29% |
||
| A little worse off |
11% |
6% |
17% |
2% |
7% |
10% |
11% |
15% |
14% |
||
| A lot worse off |
16% |
7% |
29% |
4% |
18% |
18% |
13% |
15% |
15% |
||
| Make no difference |
13% |
11% |
17% |
10% |
14% |
16% |
12% |
15% |
12% |
||
| Don’t know |
15% |
11% |
12% |
18% |
16% |
11% |
18% |
15% |
14% |
The perception that workers would be better off with stronger unions has increased a little since this question was asked in May last year. 45% (up 2%) felt that workers would be better off if unions in Australia were stronger and 27% (down 2%) that believed workers would be worse off.
By voting intention, 65% of Labor voters and 65% of Greens voters believed that workers would be better off while Coalition voters were by far the most likely to believe that workers would be worse off (46%).
Liberal government paid parental leave policy, paid parental leave
Q. The Liberal Government plans to introduce a new parental leave policy which gives new parents up to 26 weeks leave at their current full rate of pay (up to $150,000) to be partly paid for by a 1.5 per cent levy on large companies. The current policy introduced by the previous Labor Government gives new parents 18 weeks leave at the minimum wage rate paid for by the Government. Which scheme do you support most?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
Aug 13 |
|
| The Government’s new policy |
23% |
19% |
28% |
21% |
26% |
24% |
||
| The current policy |
36% |
49% |
26% |
46% |
38% |
35% |
||
| Neither |
32% |
24% |
41% |
24% |
29% |
28% |
||
| Don’t know |
9% |
8% |
6% |
9% |
7% |
13% |
36% support the previous Labor Government’s paid parental leave policy and 23% support the Coalition Government’s policy more. 32% support neither scheme.
The current scheme is supported by both men (38% to 24%) and women (34% to 22%).
By age group, those aged 18-34 support the Coalition Government’s scheme 36% to 35% while aged 35-54 support the current scheme 36% to 20% and those aged 55+ support the current scheme 38% to 11%.
The change of Government has had little impact on opinions on this issue – results are almost exactly the same as when this question was asked in August.
ageism, homophobia, intolerance in australia, Racism, religious intolerance, sexism
Q. For each of the following forms of intolerance, please indicate to what extent you think it is a problem in Australia.
|
Total large/ moderate |
|
A large problem |
Moderate problem |
Small problem |
Not a problem at all |
Don’t know |
|
Sept 12 Total large/ moderate |
Jun 13 Total large/ moderate |
|
| Racism |
64% |
25% |
39% |
29% |
6% |
2% |
71% |
69% |
||
| Religious intolerance |
51% |
18% |
33% |
32% |
14% |
4% |
65% |
54% |
||
| Sexism |
51% |
15% |
36% |
37% |
10% |
3% |
45% |
52% |
||
| Ageism |
49% |
15% |
34% |
31% |
13% |
8% |
44% |
46% |
||
| Homophobia |
47% |
16% |
31% |
36% |
13% |
5% |
50% |
51% |
64% think that racism is a major/moderate problem in Australia – down a little compared to when this question was previously asked in June last year. Just over half believe that religious intolerance and sexism are major/moderate problems.
Those most likely to think racism a major/moderate problem were women (68%), Greens voters (85%) and Labor voters (71%).
Those most likely to think sexism a major/moderate problem were women (58%) and Greens voters (70%).
Those most likely to think homophobia a major/moderate problem were women (54%), Greens voters (77%), Labor voters (54%) and aged 18-34 (56%).
54% of those aged 55+ think ageism is a major/moderate problem.
There were no substantial differences between groups on views about religious intolerance.
ageism, experience of intolerance, homophobia, intolerance, Racism, religious intolerance, sexism
Q. Have you personally experienced or witnessed any of the following forms of intolerance in the past 12 months?
|
|
Total |
|
Men |
Women |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
|
Total Jun 13 |
| Racism |
36% |
37% |
35% |
47% |
33% |
26% |
39% |
||
| Sexism |
29% |
25% |
33% |
41% |
26% |
19% |
29% |
||
| Religious intolerance |
28% |
27% |
28% |
35% |
27% |
19% |
29% |
||
| Ageism |
26% |
23% |
28% |
22% |
25% |
30% |
24% |
||
| Homophobia |
24% |
25% |
22% |
36% |
19% |
15% |
26% |
36% say they have experienced or witnessed racism in the past 12 months, while about one quarter have experienced or witnessed each of the other forms of intolerance. These figures have changed little since this question was last asked in June last year.
Younger people were much more likely to have experienced/witnessed racism, homophobia, sexism and religious intolerance. 30% of those aged 55+ say they have experienced/witnessed ageism. 33% of women say they have experienced/witnessed sexism.
28 January 2014, 280114, 2PP, first preference vote, Greens, Labor Party, Liberal Party, two party preferred, Voting intention
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?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,933 respondents
| First preference/leaning to |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
|
Last week 21/1/14 |
This week 28/1/14 |
| Liberal |
|
40% |
40% |
|
| National |
3% |
3% |
||
| Total Lib/Nat |
45.6% |
43% |
42% |
|
| Labor |
33.4% |
37% |
36% |
|
| Greens |
8.6% |
9% |
9% |
|
| Palmer United Party |
5.5% |
4% |
4% |
|
| Other/Independent |
6.9% |
7% |
9% |
| 2 Party Preferred |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
|
Last week 21/1/14 |
This week 28/1/14 |
| Liberal National |
53.5% |
51% |
50% |
|
| Labor |
46.5% |
49% |
50% |
NB. 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.
28 January 2014, 280114, changes to mail delivery
Q. Would you approve or disapprove of changing the mail delivery service from each weekday to 3 days a week?
|
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
| Total approve |
29% |
29% |
35% |
26% |
20% |
|
| Total disapprove |
63% |
66% |
57% |
64% |
69% |
|
| Strongly approve |
4% |
6% |
4% |
5% |
1% |
|
| Approve |
25% |
23% |
31% |
21% |
19% |
|
| Disapprove |
23% |
23% |
22% |
23% |
27% |
|
| Strongly disapprove |
40% |
43% |
35% |
41% |
42% |
|
| Don’t know |
8% |
5% |
7% |
11% |
11% |
29% approve of changing the mail delivery service to 3 days a week and 63% oppose.
There were no voter or demographic groups where disapproval was less than 50%.
28 January 2014, 280114, opinion of privatisation
Q. Generally, do you think that privatisation – that is, having public services owned or run by private companies – is a good or bad idea?
|
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
March 13 |
| A good idea |
21% |
16% |
31% |
7% |
12% |
22% |
||
| A bad idea |
59% |
69% |
48% |
74% |
65% |
58% |
||
| Don’t know |
20% |
15% |
21% |
19% |
23% |
20% |
59% think that, generally, privatisation is a bad idea and 21% think it is generally a good idea.
Those most likely to think it is a bad idea were – aged 45-64 (75%), Greens voters (74%), Labor voters (69%) and incomes under $600pw (68%).
Strongest support for privatisation came from Liberal/National voters (31%), aged 18-34 (30%) and those with university education (29%).
There has been no significant change on this issue since this question was asked in March last year.
280114, australia post, medibank private, NBN, privatisation, Snowy hydro
Q. Would you support or oppose privatisation of the following Government-owned corporations?
|
|
Total support |
Total oppose |
|
Strongly support |
Support |
Oppose |
Strongly oppose |
Don’t know |
| Medibank Private |
29% |
54% |
5% |
24% |
26% |
28% |
18% |
|
| Australia Post |
20% |
69% |
4% |
16% |
26% |
43% |
11% |
|
| The ABC and SBS |
21% |
64% |
5% |
16% |
25% |
39% |
14% |
|
| The National Broadband Network |
28% |
58% |
7% |
21% |
24% |
34% |
14% |
|
| Snowy Hydro |
17% |
53% |
3% |
14% |
23% |
30% |
30% |
|
| Australian Rail Track Corporation (which runs much of the interstate train network) |
23% |
58% |
5% |
18% |
25% |
33% |
19% |
There was majority opposition to privatising each of the Government-owned corporations listed.
Privatisation of Australia Post (69%) and ABC/SBS (64%) were most strongly opposed.
While support for privatisation of these corporations was higher among Liberal/National voter, they were still more likely to oppose than support. Apart from Medibank Private (40% support/46% oppose) and the NBN (42%/46%), a majority of Liberal/National voters opposed privatisation of each corporation.