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Statements about politics

20 Nov 2018

Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

  Total agree Total disagree   Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
Political parties in Australia are too ideological 42% 13%   13% 29% 45% 10% 3%
I would consider voting for an independent in the next Federal election 42% 24%   13% 29% 34% 14% 10%
There is no substantial difference between the policies of the Labor and Liberal Parties 38% 29%   12% 26% 32% 22% 7%
We don’t need any new political parties – the Labor, Liberal and minor parties represent the interests of most Australians. 42% 23%   12% 30% 35% 16% 7%
There should be more independents and minor parties in Parliament. 38% 24%   13% 25% 38% 16% 8%
Neither Labor nor the Liberals have a long term plan for Australia. 51% 15%   17% 34% 34% 12% 3%
I have become less interested in politics over the last few years. 47% 24%   18% 29% 29% 17% 7%

 

  Total agree   Firm vote Firm but might change Not firm
Political parties in Australia are too ideological 42%   39% 49% 50%
I would consider voting for an independent in the next Federal election 42%   30% 50% 73%
There is no substantial difference between the policies of the Labor and Liberal Parties 38%   33% 44% 51%
We don’t need any new political parties – the Labor, Liberal and minor parties represent the interests of most Australians. 42%   55% 44% 31%
There should be more independents and minor parties in Parliament. 38%   34% 48% 44%
Neither Labor nor the Liberals have a long term plan for Australia. 51%   46% 56% 67%
I have become less interested in politics over the last few years. 47%   45% 50% 46%

 

This table shows the relationships between the statements about politics and the firmness of voting intention.

Those who might change their vote are much more likely to consider voting for an independent in the next Federal election (50%of firm might change/73% of not firm), think that there is no substantial difference between the policies of the Labor and Liberal Parties (44%/51%) and think neither Labor nor the Liberals have a long term plan for Australia (56%/67%).

There is no significant relationship between firmness of vote and interest in politics.

However, those who would consider voting for an independent were much more likely to agree that political parties in Australia are too ideological (56%), there is no substantial difference between the policies of the Labor and Liberal Parties (56%), there should be more independents and minor parties in Parliament (66%) and neither Labor nor the Liberals have a long term plan for Australia (73%). But they were only a little more likely than average to say they had become less interested in politics over the last few years (55% cf 47%).

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