21 May 12, 210512, Australian jobs, benefit from casual/contract jobs, employers, workers
Q. The number of people working in casual and contract jobs is increasing. Who do you think benefits most from the increasing number of casual and contract jobs?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Workers |
7% |
6% |
8% |
3% |
| Employers |
55% |
62% |
52% |
72% |
| Both equally |
28% |
25% |
32% |
17% |
| Don’t know |
10% |
8% |
8% |
8% |
A majority of respondents (55%) think that employers benefit most from the increasing number of casual and contract jobs. Only 7% think workers benefit most and 28% think both groups benefit equally.
60% of full time workers and 49% of part-time workers think employers benefit most. Those on higher incomes are also more liklely to think employers benefit most (62% of those on incomes over $1,600pw). For those on low incomes (under $600pw), 54% think employers benefit most, 4% workers and 34% think both benefit equally.
21 May 12, 210512, Australian jobs, full-time work, More permanent jobs
Q. Do you think employers should be required to provide more permanent jobs (instead of casual and contract jobs) or is it a matter best left for the employer to decide?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Should be required to provide more permanent jobs |
48% |
59% |
39% |
59% |
| A decision best left to the employer |
41% |
30% |
52% |
33% |
| Don’t know |
11% |
12% |
6% |
8% |
48% think employers should be required to provider more permanent jobs and 41% think it is a matter best left for the employer to decide.
52% of full-time workers think employers should be required to provide more permanent jobs and 39% think it is a decision best left to the employer.
44% of part-time workers think employers should be required to provide more permanent jobs and 41% think it is a decision best left to the employer.
21 May 12, 210512, Australian economy, Australian industries, Australian jobs, Mining Boom
Q. Has the mining boom been good or bad for –
|
Total good |
Total bad |
Very good |
Good |
Neither good nor bad |
Bad |
Very bad |
Don’t know |
|
| The economy generally |
75% |
7% |
30% |
45% |
12% |
5% |
2% |
6% |
| Other Australian industries |
50% |
16% |
12% |
38% |
26% |
12% |
4% |
9% |
| Jobs generally |
61% |
12% |
16% |
45% |
21% |
9% |
3% |
7% |
| You personally |
21% |
10% |
6% |
15% |
60% |
7% |
3% |
9% |
A substantial majority think that the mining boom has been good for the economy generally (75%) and jobs generally (61%). 50% think that it has been good for other Australian industries.
However, most (60%) think it has been neither good nor bad for themselves personally – 21% think it has been good and 10% bad.
Those most likely to think the mining boom had been good for them personally were aged 25-34 (31%), full-time workers (26%) and those on incomes over $1,600pw (27%).
Australian jobs, employment, Industrial Relations, investment, job creation
Q. To what extent do you agree that the following measures will improve job creation and investment in Australia?
| Total Agree | Total Disagree | Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | ||
| Increasing the number of apprenticeships | 88% | 4% | 38% | 50% | 4% | 0% | 7% | |
| Giving incentives to companies that invest in research and development | 79% | 8% | 26% | 53% | 7% | 1% | 12% | |
| Boosting investment in renewable energy technologies | 75% | 11% | 30% | 45% | 8% | 3% | 14% | |
| Requiring companies to use Australian made steel in large infrastructure projects | 73% | 11% | 27% | 46% | 9% | 2% | 15% | |
| Implementing industrial relations changes that give more flexibility to business | 57% | 19% | 13% | 44% | 14% | 5% | 24% | |
| Bringing back tariffs on products imported from overseas | 52% | 29% | 16% | 36% | 20% | 9% | 19% | |
| Introducing industrial relations reforms to make it easier to hire and fire people | 41% | 41% | 13% | 28% | 29% | 12% | 18% |
Increasing the number of apprenticeships (88% total agree) is the most popular measure for improving job creation and investment in Australia, followed by giving incentives to companies that invest in research and development (79% total agree) and boosting investment in renewable energy technologies (75%).
Requiring companies to use Australian made steel in large infrastructure projects is also strongly endorsed by respondents (73% total agree).
The least popular measure is introducing industrial relations reforms to make it easier to hire and fire people (41% total disagree). Asked with a different emphasis, there is significantly less opposition to the suggestion of implementing industrial relations changes that give more flexibility to business (19% total disagree).
apprenticeships, Australian jobs, employment, Industrial Relations, investment, renewable energy, Voting intention
Q. To what extent do you agree that the following measures will improve job creation and investment in Australia?
| Total Agree | Total Agree – Labor | Total Agree – Lib/Nat | Total Agree- Greens | ||
| Increasing the number of apprenticeships | 88% | 89% | 91% | 87% | |
| Giving incentives to companies that invest in research and development | 79% | 80% | 83% | 83% | |
| Boosting investment in renewable energy technologies | 75% | 80% | 71% | 88% | |
| Requiring companies to use Australian made steel in large infrastructure projects | 73% | 77% | 77% | 69% | |
| Implementing industrial relations changes that give more flexibility to business | 57% | 45% | 75% | 41% | |
| Bringing back tariffs on products imported from overseas | 52% | 52% | 58% | 40% | |
| Introducing industrial relations reforms to make it easier to hire and fire people | 41% | 26% | 65% | 18% |
Increasing the number of apprenticeships, giving incentives to companies that invest in research and development, and requiring companies to use Australia made steel in large infrastructure projects all receive a consistent level of endorsement across party lines.
Labor voters are more likely to agree with boosting investment in renewable energy technologies (80% total agree) as a measure to improve job creation and investment in Australia, as are Greens voters (88% total agree).
Labor voters are less likely to agree with implementing industrial relations changes that give more flexibility to business (45% total agree) and introducing industrial relations reforms to make it easier to hire and fire people (26% total agree).
Coalition voters are the most likely to agree with the industrial relations reforms, with 75% agreeing with implementing industrial relations changes that give more flexibility to business and 65% agreeing with introducing industrial relations reforms to make it easier to hire and fire people.
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
| One | Two | Three | Total | Total 11th Oct 10 | Total 25th Jan 10 | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 18% | 10% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 10% | 11% | 26% | 32% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 13% | 20% | 16% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 11% | * |
| Political leadership | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Addressing climate change | 3% | 3% | 4% | 10% | 11% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 5% | 8% | 8% | 21% | 17% | 15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 10% | 8% | 12% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 2% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 12% |
| Housing affordability | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | * |
| Managing population growth | 2% | 5% | 4% | 11% | 10% | * |
*Not asked
65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.
Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 65% | 63% | 77% | 47% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 33% | 20% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 52% | 47% | 37% |
| Protecting the environment | 13% | 12% | 6% | 42% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 10% | 18% | 5% | 8% |
| Political leadership | 16% | 11% | 25% | 14% |
| Addressing climate change | 10% | 10% | 5% | 22% |
| Controlling interest rates | 21% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 30% | 33% | 32% | 18% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 6% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 15% | 13% | 21% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 18% | 17% | 19% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 5% | 5% | 8% | 5% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 15% |
| Managing population growth | 11% | 8% | 12% | 9% |
Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring a quality education for all children (33%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (77%) and political leadership (25%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (42%), addressing climate change (22%) and treatment of asylum seekers (15%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 33% | 43% | 2% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 39% | 33% | 4% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 33% | 7% | 27% |
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 19% | 40% | 24% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 30% | 5% | 25% |
| Political leadership | 28% | 37% | 4% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 20% | 34% | 28% |
| Controlling interest rates | 22% | 40% | 2% | 35% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 33% | 4% | 27% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 20% | 31% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 30% | 7% | 37% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 28% | 35% | 4% | 32% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 23% | 37% | 4% | 36% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 20% | 33% | 12% | 35% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 41% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 37% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 41% | 29% | 6% | 25% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).