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  • Aug, 2012

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    Concern about Cutting Public Sector

    Q. How concerned are you that at least 12,000 jobs might be cut from the Commonwealth public sector?

     

    Total

    Vote

    Labor

    Vote

    Lib/Nat

    Vote

    Greens

    Very concerned

    23%

    40%

    9%

    46%

    Somewhat concerned

    23%

    30%

    19%

    23%

    A little concerned

    21%

    13%

    27%

    14%

    Not really concerned

    26%

    11%

    42%

    12%

    Don’t know

    7%

    6%

    4%

    4%

    46% were very or somewhat concerned that 12,000 jobs might be cut from the Commonwealth public sector.

    Those most concerned were women (51% very/somewhat), aged 18-24 (61%), Labor voters (70%) and Greens voters (69%).

  • Aug, 2012

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    Public Sector Issues

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

     

    Total agree

    Total disagree

    Strongly agree

    Agree

    Disagree

    Strongly disagree

    Don’t know

    The Commonwealth public sector cannot take 12,000 job cuts and still maintain service quality

    57%

    28%

    24%

    33%

    21%

    7%

    15%

    Regardless of what they say before elections, Liberal Governments always cut public services.

    52%

    22%

    20%

    32%

    19%

    3%

    26%

    Many of the Commonwealth public sector functions should be outsourced to private companies

    30%

    48%

    5%

    25%

    29%

    19%

    22%

    Many of the Commonwealth public sector functions should be outsourced to charities and not for profit organisations

    32%

    42%

    5%

    27%

    29%

    13%

    25%

    Cutting the public service will most hurt regional and rural areas

    57%

    22%

    22%

    35%

    17%

    5%

    21%

    Cutting support and admin staff will affect the quality of service provided by frontline staff

    60%

    24%

    24%

    36%

    20%

    4%

    15%

    A majority of respondents agreed that – cutting support and admin staff will affect the quality of service provided by frontline staff (60%), cutting the public service will most hurt regional and rural areas (57%), the Commonwealth public sector cannot take 12,000 job cuts and still maintain service quality (57%) and regardless of what they say before elections, Liberal Governments always cut public services (52%).

    They were more likely to oppose outsourcing public sector functions to private companies (48% disagree) or charities and not-for-profits (42%).

    Liberal/National voters were evenly split over whether cutting the public service will most hurt regional and rural areas (42% agree/38% disagree) and cutting support and admin staff will affect the quality of service provided by frontline staff (43% agree/43% disagree).

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