Essential Report
Christchurch Terror Attacks
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Mosque shooting in New Zealand?
NET: Strongly / Somewhat agree | NET: Strongly / Somewhat disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | Unsure | |
Social media platforms should be forced to ensure violent material (such as the recording of the attack) is not broadcast | 69% | 11% | 52% | 17% | 14% | 6% | 5% | 6% |
White extremism is every bit as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism | 63% | 14% | 44% | 19% | 17% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
Television networks and newspapers that have provided platforms (e.g. on lifestyle shows, breakfast TV or in opinion pieces) for people with extreme and racist views bear some responsibility for the attack | 49% | 19% | 19% | 30% | 24% | 11% | 8% | 8% |
Politicians from Australia’s major political parties have deliberately stirred up anti-Islamic sentiment as a way of getting votes | 42% | 23% | 20% | 22% | 26% | 11% | 11% | 9% |
It was an isolated act of evil and has nothing to do with broader political debates | 40% | 31% | 18% | 22% | 21% | 18% | 12% | 8% |
In my everyday life, I regularly hear people saying things that are racist and/or Islamophobic | 37% | 33% | 12% | 25% | 25% | 20% | 13% | 5% |
NET: Strongly / Somewhat agree | Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ |
Social media platforms should be forced to ensure violent material (such as the recording of the attack) is not broadcast | 69% | 64% | 74% | 61% | 68% | 76% |
White extremism is every bit as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism | 63% | 61% | 66% | 55% | 60% | 73% |
Television networks and newspapers that have provided platforms (e.g. on lifestyle shows, breakfast TV or in opinion pieces) for people with extreme and racist views bear some responsibility for the attack | 49% | 47% | 50% | 50% | 45% | 50% |
Politicians from Australia’s major political parties have deliberately stirred up anti-Islamic sentiment as a way of getting votes | 42% | 45% | 39% | 49% | 41% | 37% |
It was an isolated act of evil and has nothing to do with broader political debates | 40% | 44% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 44% |
In my everyday life, I regularly hear people saying things that are racist and/or Islamophobic | 37% | 41% | 34% | 42% | 40% | 31% |
NET: Strongly / Somewhat agree | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal / National | Vote Greens | NET: Vote Other |
Social media platforms should be forced to ensure violent material (such as the recording of the attack) is not broadcast | 69% | 71% | 69% | 74% | 67% |
White extremism is every bit as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism | 63% | 67% | 64% | 72% | 57% |
Television networks and newspapers that have provided platforms (e.g. on lifestyle shows, breakfast TV or in opinion pieces) for people with extreme and racist views bear some responsibility for the attack | 49% | 51% | 45% | 66% | 48% |
Politicians from Australia’s major political parties have deliberately stirred up anti-Islamic sentiment as a way of getting votes | 42% | 50% | 31% | 65% | 43% |
It was an isolated act of evil and has nothing to do with broader political debates | 40% | 34% | 50% | 29% | 46% |
In my everyday life, I regularly hear people saying things that are racist and/or Islamophobic | 37% | 38% | 38% | 46% | 38% |
- 69% of Australians agree that ‘Social media platforms should be forced to ensure violent material (such as the recording of the attack) is not broadcast’. Women (74%), those over the age of 55 (76%) and Greens voters (74%) are most likely to agree with this statement.
- 37% agree that they hear people saying things that are racist and/or or Islamophobic regularly.
- 45% agree that ‘Politicians from Australia’s major political parties have deliberately stirred up anti-Islamic sentiment as a way of getting votes’. Agreement was highest among Labor (50%) and Greens (65%) voters. Those least likely to agree with the statement were Coalition voters (31%) and One nation voters (36%).

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