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Most Important Factor in Government Regulation

30 Apr 2012

Q. What should be the most important factor Governments consider in relation to regulating each of these issues – protecting rights and freedom, protecting people’s health and safety or managing the cost to taxpayers (e.g. health costs of drug/alcohol/tobacco use)?

 

Protecting rights and freedom 

Protecting people’s health and safety

Managing the cost to taxpayers

Don’t know

Wearing seatbelts in cars

5%

91%

3%

2%

Wearing bike helmets

6%

89%

3%

2%

Personal use of recreational drugs

18%

61%

12%

9%

Smoking in public places

19%

67%

9%

5%

Buying and consuming alcohol

25%

58%

11%

6%

Shopping hours

55%

11%

16%

19%

Cigarette packaging

16%

61%

14%

8%

Junk food advertising

16%

66%

11%

8%

Films (i.e. censorship)

59%

19%

7%

15%

The internet

62%

18%

6%

15%

 

For most of the areas listed above, the majority of respondents thought the most important factor for Governments to consider was ‘protecting people’s health and safety’.

 

The three areas where respondents thought that is was more important to consider ‘protecting rights and freedoms’ were ‘the internet’ (62%), ‘films’ (59%) and ‘shopping hours’ (55%).

 

‘Managing the cost to tax payers’ was not considered to be an important factor by most respondents.

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