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  • Jan, 2011

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    On-line Purchasing – Products

    If bought online in last 12 months –

    Q. Which of the following products have you purchased on-line from Australian or overseas companies in last 12 months?

    Purchased from Australian companies Purchased from overseas companies Not purchased
    Books 34% 25% 50%
    Music and video 36% 19% 52%
    Clothing and shoes 37% 18% 54%
    Computers and computer accessories 35% 19% 55%
    Cameras 11% 6% 85%
    Electrical appliances 25% 8% 69%
    Furniture 12% 2% 86%
    Wine and food 27% 4% 70%
    Other products 52% 28% 37%

    * Note – percentages are based on the respondents who said they bought online in the last 12 months.

    Of those who had bought online, the most common purchases were books (50%), music and video (48%) clothing and shoes (46%) and computers and accessories (45%).

    Respondents were more likely to buy products online from Australian companies – for most products, they were about twice as likely to buy from Australian companies as from overseas companies.

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  • Jan, 2011

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    On-line Purchasing – Reasons

    If bought online in last 12 months –

    Q. How important are the following as reasons for you buying online?

    Very important Quite important A little important Not important Don’t know
    Cheaper price 60% 29% 9% 2% 1%
    More choice 45% 35% 15% 4% 1%
    More convenient 50% 32% 13% 4% 1%

    * Note – percentages are based on the respondents who said they bought online in the last 12 months.

    60% said the cheaper price was very important in their decision to buy online, 50% said convenience was very important and 45% choice.

    Of those who bought online more than six times, 66% say price is very important, 63% convenience and 56% choice.

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  • Jan, 2011

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    On-line Purchasing Behaviour

    Q. In the last 12 months, have you ever looked at items or products in a store, then bought it on line?

    Q. In the last 12 months, have you ever looked at items or products on line, then bought it at a store (i.e. an actual shop or store, not an “online store”)?

    Looked at store, bought on-line 49%
    Looked on-line, bought at store 61%

    49% of all respondents said they had looked at products in a store, then bought online – while 61% said they had looked online, then bought at a store.

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  • Jan, 2011

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    GST on On-line Purchasing

    Q. Currently GST is not charged on on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies.  Would you approve or disapprove GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 18% 17% 22% 19%
    Total disapprove 71% 74% 67% 73%
    Strongly approve 6% 8% 6% 5%
    Approve 12% 9% 16% 14%
    Disapprove 23% 22% 25% 19%
    Strongly disapprove 48% 52% 42% 54%
    Don’t know 11% 9% 11% 8%

    71% disapprove of GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies and 18% approve.

    Strongest disapproval is shown by women (74%), Labor voters (74%), Greens voters (73%) and age groups 35-44 (77%) and 25-34 (74%).

    74% of online shoppers disapprove and 17% approve – while for those who buy online more often (more than six times a year) 80% disapprove and 12% approve.

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  • Jan, 2011

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    Government decision making

    Q. Governments often need to consider the interests of a number of stakeholders when making decisions, including those of corporate interests. In general, do you think when governments make decisions, they –

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total favour corporate interests 60% 64% 55% 76%
    Total favour voter interests 9% 4% 14% 2%
    Very strongly favour corporate interests 26% 27% 20% 40%
    Somewhat favour corporate interests 34% 37% 35% 36%
    Balance the interests of voters and corporate interests 19% 21% 22% 15%
    Somewhat favour the interests of voters 5% 2% 9%
    Very strongly favour the interests of voters 4% 2% 5% 2%
    Don’t know 12% 12% 8% 6%

    60% of respondents think that governments in general make decisions in favour of corporate interests. 9% think they make decisions in favour of voter interests and 19% think they balance the interests of voters and corporations.

    By gender – men split 56% corporate interests, 12% voters interests, 24% balanced and women 65% corporate, 4% voters, 15% balanced.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Polls don’t kill people, people kill people

    First Published on The Drum 21/12/2010

    If our politicians are feeling bloody and bruised after a torrid year of spills and thrills, spare a thought for the one group on the national stage that had a harder time of it in 2010 – the humble pollster.

    This was the year when hand wringing about the malign impact of political research became a national sport; if there was a problem with politics, political research was the cause. We were to blame for the uninspiring election campaign; for the dumbing down of political reporting; for robbing the ALP of its soul.

    So as a purveyor of the Dark Art I want to end the year with a plea for understanding for the minority group I am part of, stealing the catchcry of the Shooters Lobby in the 1990s to proudly declare ‘polls don’t kill people, people kill people’.

    Before doing so, I will readily admit that political research can be put to poor use – running focus groups to get ‘permission’ from the electorate to pursue particular policies is to misunderstand the point of such research.
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  • Dec, 2010

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    Federal politics – voting intention

    Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?

    Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?

    sample size = 1,909

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 42% 42% 43% 43%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 45% 45% 46% 46%
    Labor 38.0 38% 38% 37% 38%
    Greens 11.8 10% 11% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 8% 6% 7% 7%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week

    This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 51% 51% 52% 52%
    Labor 50.1% 49% 49% 48% 48%

    NB.  The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions.  Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results.  The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election.

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