Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Governments making laws to regulate the following?

For each of the areas listed above more than half of respondents approved of Governments making laws to regulate the area – with the exception of “making public statements which other people might find offensive” (41% approve/44% disapprove).

The highest levels of approval were for wearing seatbelts in cars (97%) and wearing bike helmets (92%). The highest levels of disapproval were for making public statements which other people might find offensive (44%), the internet (38%) and shopping hours (35%).

Since this question was asked in April last year approval of regulation has increased for personal use of recreational drugs (+5%), smoking in public places (+5%) and junk food advertising (+5%).

Matt Linden believes the Government’s latest changes will make super simpler, accessible and more relevant for those who’ve taken their eye off the ball.

How much do you know about your super fund? Who is responsible for looking after your savings? Where and how is your money invested? Who runs the fund?

If you don’t know the answer to many of these questions, you’re not alone. While super is now the biggest asset after the family home, few take an active interest in how it is managed. Because super is compulsory and locked away until retirement, most of us assume it will be there when we need it and focus our financial attention on the here and now.

But Industry Super Network’s Matt Linden tells 3Q the Government’s new measures will make it easier for members to access and understand information about their account.

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Governments making laws to regulate the following?

For each of the areas listed above (except for ‘the internet’) more than half of respondents approve of Governments making laws to regulate the area.

The highest levels of approval were for ‘wearing seatbelts in cars’ (97% approve) and ‘wearing bike helmets’ (94% approve).

The highest levels of disapproval were for ‘the internet’ (43% disapprove) and ‘shopping hours’ (38% disapprove).

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Q. What should be the most important factor Governments consider in relation to regulating each of these issues – protecting rights and freedom, protecting people’s health and safety or managing the cost to taxpayers (e.g. health costs of drug/alcohol/tobacco use)?

For most of the areas listed above, the majority of respondents thought the most important factor for Governments to consider was ‘protecting people’s health and safety’.

The three areas where respondents thought that is was more important to consider ‘protecting rights and freedoms’ were ‘the internet’ (62%), ‘films’ (59%) and ‘shopping hours’ (55%).

‘Managing the cost to tax payers’ was not considered to be an important factor by most respondents.

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Q. Thinking about the privatisation of Government-owned organisations (such as Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, Qantas, power companies, etc) over recent years – who do you think has benefited most from those privatisations?

59% think that private companies have benefited most from the privatisation of Government-owned organisations and 25% think the Government has benefited most. Only 6% think the general public has benefited most. Labor and Greens voters are more likely to think private companies have benefited most while Coalition voters are a little more likely to think Government has benefited most.

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Q. Do you think that organisations (such as Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, Qantas, power companies, etc) that are privatized should be regulated by the Government or should they be treated the same as any other private company?

56% think that organisations that are privatized should be regulated by the Government and 34% think they should be treated the same as any other private company. Labor and Greens voters are strongly of the view they should be regulated while Coalition voters are split 46% regulated/47% treated the same. There were no major differences across demographic groups.

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Q. Rupert Murdoch owns most of Australia’s metropolitan newspapers including the Australian, Herald Sun, the Telegraph and the Courier Mail. Should the Government allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers?

58% of respondents stated that the Government should not allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers. This is an increase on the 50% who stated the same thing in November 2010.

Just 9% of respondents think that the Government should allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers (a drop for the 15% who said the same thing in November 2010.

Green voters (76%) were the most likely to state that the Government should not allow one company to own the majority of Australia’s major newspapers, followed by Labor (60%) and Lib/Nat voters (53%).

Females (62%) were more likely than males (54%) to select ‘should not allow’.

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Q. James Packer recently bought a major shareholding in Channel 10. Should James Packer be allowed to become a major shareholder in Channel 10 while he is also a major shareholder in Foxtel?

 Nearly half either don’t care or don’t know whether James Packer should be allowed to become a majority shareholder in Channel 10. Of those with an opinion, views are split 28% should be allowed and 24% should not. 36% of those on low incomes (under $600pw) think he should not be allowed. Comments »