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  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with removal of monuments and memorials

    Q. Protesters are arguing for the removal of monuments and memorials of individuals or organisations connected to the slave trade, genocide of Indigenous Australians and racism. In some cases, the protesters have destroyed the monuments and memorials themselves.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements about removing public monuments and memorials?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    The protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past 80% 14% 54% 26% 8% 6% 7%
    Instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures 78% 15% 47% 30% 10% 5% 7%
    Every public figure has their positive and negative aspects, and this isn’t a good reason to remove their monuments or memorials 76% 16% 45% 31% 9% 7% 8%
    We lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed 76% 17% 49% 27% 8% 8% 8%
    It’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality 72% 19% 44% 28% 11% 8% 9%
    Monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society 48% 42% 19% 29% 20% 21% 11%
    Monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions 45% 41% 19% 26% 22% 19% 14%

     

    NET: Agree Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    The protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past 80% 77% 89% 61% 83%
    Instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures 78% 75% 85% 62% 81%
    Every public figure has their positive and negative aspects, and this isn’t a good reason to remove their monuments or memorials 76% 71% 87% 52% 79%
    We lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed 76% 71% 88% 54% 71%
    It’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality 72% 65% 83% 55% 74%
    Monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society 48% 55% 38% 69% 43%
    Monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions 45% 50% 37% 65% 41%
    Base (n) 1,079 315 445 107 108
    •  Four-fifths of participants agree protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past (80%) while another 78% agree that instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures.
    • Less than half of participants agree that monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society (48%) and monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions (45%).
    • 18-34 year olds are more likely than those over 55, to agree that monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions (58% of 18-34 year olds and 35% of 55+) or agree that monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society (58% and 37% respectively).
    • Participants over 55 are more likely to agree that we lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed (87% of those aged 55+ and 64% of 18-34) and it’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality (80% of 55+ and 64% of 18-34).
    • Broadly Greens voters are most likely to agree with negative statements about the impact of these monuments, while Coalition voters are least likely to agree with those statements.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with protests in Australia

    Q. Following the protests in the United States of America, there have been demonstrations in Australia oppose the deaths of Indigenous people in police custody.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the protests in Australia?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Protesters gathering in large numbers during the Covid-19 puts the entire community at risk 84% 9% 62% 23% 5% 4% 7%
    Protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody 62% 27% 31% 32% 11% 16% 11%
    The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance 61% 30% 34% 27% 18% 12% 10%

     

    TOTAL: Agreement   Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Protesters gathering in large numbers during the Covid-19 puts the entire community at risk 84% 86% 82% 78% 87% 87%
    Protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody 62% 64% 60% 69% 63% 56%
    The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance 61% 67% 54% 54% 62% 64%
    Base (n) 1,087 534 553 341 364 382
    • While a large majority of people agree that the protests pit the community at risk by spreading Covid-19 (84%), 62% agree that protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody.
    • Men (67%), those aged over 55 (64%) and Coalition voters (74%) are more likely to agree that ‘The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance’ compared to women (54%), those aged under 35 (54%) and Labor and Greens voters (54% and 38%).
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with Protests in America

    Q. In the United States of America, protesters accuse law enforcement officers of using excessive force towards African-Americans following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died whilst he was being arrested. A policeman has been charged with third-degree murder following his death.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society 80% 11% 50% 30% 5% 5% 9%
    Authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur 78% 10% 50% 28% 6% 4% 12%
    Incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society 72% 16% 42% 30% 9% 7% 12%
    The protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change 54% 33% 30% 24% 17% 17% 12%
    Incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces 33% 54% 13% 20% 26% 28% 12%

     

     NET: Agree Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society 80% 84% 80% 83% 77%
    Authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur 78% 81% 77% 88% 77%
    Incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society 72% 77% 71% 76% 72%
    The protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change 54% 49% 65% 29% 59%
    Incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces 33% 28% 44% 20% 30%
    Base (n) 1,073 325 419 90 136
    • The majority of participants agree that protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society (80%), authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur (78%) and incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society (72%).
    • 54% agree that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change and 33% agree that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces.
    • Participants over 55 and those with dependent children are more likely to agree that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change (60% and 61%) compared to 18-34 year olds (47%) and those without children (51%).
    • Men (38%), 18-34 year olds (38%), those with a university education (39%), on a high household income (42%) or with dependent children (40%) are more likely to agree that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces; than women (29%), 55+ year olds (28%), those with a secondary education (28%), on a low household income (31%) or without dependent children (29%).
    • While a similar proportion of Coalition voters (80%) compared to all other voters (83%), agree that protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society – they are less likely to ‘strongly agree’ with this statement (40% compared to 59% of all other voters).
    • Coalition voters are also more likely to agree with the negative statements than other voters – with 65% agreeing that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change (47% all other voters) and 44% agreeing that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces (27% all other voters).
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