Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about temporary work visas in Australia?

• There is high agreement with the need to provide equivalent pay and conditions to migrant workers. 72% of people agree temporary work visas should be used to cover genuine skills shortages, not to provide cheap labour and 67% agree that all workers in Australia should be entitled to the same pay and working conditions.
• There is less consensus as to whether temporary work visas have been used to drive down wages and working conditions in Australia. Just 47% agree with this statement, and a further 37% neither agree nor disagree.

• Those aged over 55 are more likely than younger cohorts to agree that temporary work visas should be used to cover genuine skills shortages, not to provide cheap labour (85% to 65% younger cohorts), everyone who works in Australia should be entitled to the same pay and working conditions regardless of their visa status (75% to 62%), and temporary work visas are essential for Australian businesses to fill skills shortages (66% to 56%).
• Minor/independent party voters are less likely than other voters to agree that temporary work visas should be used to cover genuine skills shortages, not to provide cheap labour (64% to 75% all other voters), everyone who works in Australia should be entitled to the same pay and working conditions regardless of their visa status (55% to 71%), and temporary work visas are essential for Australian businesses to fill skills shortages (46% to 64%).

• Irrespective of views towards immigration, the majority agree temporary work visas should be used to cover genuine skills shortages, not to provide cheap labour.
• While overall there is majority agreement that everyone who works in Australia should be entitled to the same pay and working conditions regardless of their visa status, those who say the levels of immigration have been too low are more likely to agree with this than those who think the levels have been about right or too high (78% to 67% and 64% respectively).
• Those who say the levels of immigration have been too low are also more likely to agree that temporary work visas are essential for Australian businesses to fill skills shortages (71% to 66% and 52%).
• Those who say immigration levels have been too high are more likely to agree temporary work visas have been used to drive down wages and working conditions in Australia (56% to 44% ‘about right’ and 49% ‘too low’).

Q. Which of the following is closer to your view of the federal government’s role in relation to employment and jobs?

• More people think the federal government’s role is to invest behind local industries to create more jobs than to reduce taxes and red tape so businesses can employ more workers (44% to 35%). 21% are unsure on their preferred role.
• Men are more likely than women to think the federal government’s role is to reduce taxes and red tape so businesses can employ more workers (42% to 29%).
• Coalition voters are also more likely to agree with this viewpoint than all other voters combined (44% to 32% respectively).

Q. Which of the following approaches to acting on climate change and reducing emissions do you think will have the most positive long-term effect on jobs?

• About a third (35%) think setting a more ambitious emissions reduction target for 2030 will have the most positive long-term effect on jobs, while a further 29% think setting a net zero target for 2050 would be best for jobs.
• 14% think not setting any targets for 2030 or 2050 is best for jobs, and 22% are unsure.
• Labor voters (43%) and Greens voters (55%) are most likely to think a more ambitious 2030 target will have the most positive long-term effect on jobs.
• Minor/independent party voters (24%) and Coalition voters (21%) are most likely to think not setting any targets would be best for jobs.
• Those aged 18-34 are more likely than older cohorts to think setting a net zero target for 2050 is best (37% to 29% of those aged 35-54 and 23% of those over 55).

Q. Thinking about the Australian manufacturing industry, which of the following statements is closest to your view?

• 69% of people think with government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry. 15% think there is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money. 16% are unsure.
• Results in 2021 are similar to 2013 and 2012 levels.

• Those aged over 55 (83%) are most likely to think Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry with government support.
• Among voters, Coalition voters (73%) are most likely to have this view, with minor/independent party voters (70%) and Labor voters following closely behind (69%).
• Men (19%) and those aged 18-34 (22%) are most likely to think there is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money.

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?

• The Prime Minister’s approval rating is now at 54% (from 50% last month), with disapproval at 37% (41% in September).
• While approval has increased in NSW (48% to 54%), Victoria (47% to 52%) and Queensland (56% to 60%), these have been drops in SA (47% to 43%) and WA (58% to 51%).

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?

• The Opposition Leader’s approval rating is now at 41% (37% last month).
• The proportion of people disapproving of Albanese is now at 34% (36% last month) with a further 25% who say they are unsure of his performance.

Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?

• 45% of Australians continue to think that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (47% last month).
• 29% think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (26% last month). 27% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.

Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

• 45% of people rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak as quite good or very good (same as last month), with 30% rating it as quite poor or very poor.
• Positive rating of the federal government’s handling of Covid-19 has stayed the same in NSW (48%), but increased in Queensland (44% to 50%) and SA (42% to 46%).