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  • Dec, 2020

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    Who is favoured by changes to industrial relations laws

    Q. Generally speaking, when Federal Liberal-National Coalition Governments make changes to industrial relations laws, do you think they tend to favour employers and businesses, employees or strike a balance between the two?

      Total Federal Voting Intention
      Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    The changes tend to favour employers and businesses 52% 64% 41% 71% 53%
    The changes tend to favour employees 17% 14% 19% 16% 18%
    The changes tend to strike a balance between the two 31% 22% 40% 13% 29%
    Base (n) 1,071 356 406 102 107
    • Over half of people think changes made to industrial relations laws made by a Liberal-National government tend to favour businesses and employers (52%), while just 17% think they favour employees.
    • Coalition voters are most likely to say changes made by a Coalition government strike a balance (40%), but 41% think changes favour businesses and 19% employees.
  • Dec, 2020

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    Expectations of outcomes from changes to industrial relations laws

    Q. The Federal Government has announced new workplace reforms requiring employers to offer permanent employment to casual workers who have been with the same employer for a year and have had regular shifts for six months during that time.

    Do you expect these changes to industrial relations laws will be good or bad for the following?

      TOTAL:

    Very good / Quite good

    Neither good nor bad TOTAL:

    Very bad / Quite bad

    Don’t know
    Big businesses 41% 34% 12% 14%
    Small businesses 35% 33% 19% 12%
    Employees 48% 24% 17% 12%
    People looking for work 39% 28% 20% 13%
    People in casual work 51% 20% 17% 12%

     

    TOTAL: Very good / Quite good Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Big businesses 41% 44% 42% 41% 44%
    Small businesses 35% 40% 39% 30% 34%
    Employees 48% 43% 57% 49% 48%
    People looking for work 39% 39% 42% 37% 37%
    People in casual work 51% 44% 42% 41% 44%
    • The proposed changes to the industrial relations laws are expected to be good news for those in casual work (51% think the changes will be very good, or quite good), and employees (48%).
    • It is expected that there will be less benefit to small businesses (35% think the changes will very or quite good) and those looking for work (39%) as a result of the changes.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Perceptions of trade unions

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the role of unions in the workplace?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Unions provide essential services to their members to ensure they are paid appropriately and have safe working environments 74% 11% 34% 40% 8% 3% 15%
    A union gives workers more power with employers through a collective voice 74% 12% 34% 40% 9% 3% 15%
    Unions provide advice and services to which members would otherwise not have access 70% 13% 30% 40% 10% 3% 17%
    Unions are vital to stop businesses taking advantage of their employees 67% 16% 34% 33% 12% 5% 16%
    Unions that insist on minimum qualifications and training create a highly-skilled workforce 64% 15% 27% 38% 11% 4% 20%
                   
    Unions are too politically biased 62% 19% 30% 31% 12% 7% 19%
    Union protection makes it difficult for employers to discipline, terminate or even promote employees 58% 24% 25% 33% 18% 6% 18%
    Unions add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy for businesses 49% 33% 21% 28% 22% 11% 18%
    Unions are corrupt 47% 30% 19% 28% 18% 12% 23%
    Employment law and regulations mean unions are no longer needed 41% 40% 16% 26% 25% 15% 19%
    • There was higher agreement with statements pertaining to positive perceptions of unions than negative. 74% agreed that ‘Unions provide essential services to their members to ensure they are paid appropriately and have safe working environments’ and ‘A union gives workers more power with employers through a collective voice’.
    • 62% agreed that ‘Unions are too politically biased’ and over half (58%) agreed that ‘Union protection makes it difficult for employers to discipline, terminate or even promote employees’.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Better or worse off with stronger unions

    Q. Overall, would workers be better off or worse off if unions in Australia were stronger?

      June

    2020

    October

    2015

    February

    2014

    May

    2013

    September

    2012

    A lot better off 18% 17% 21% 14% 13%
    A little better off 31% 28% 24% 29% 26%
    A little worse off 14% 12% 11% 14% 15%
    A lot worse off 10% 14% 16% 15% 15%
    Unsure / Makes no difference 27% 30% 28% 26% 30%
    TOTAL: Better off 50% 45% 45% 43% 39%
    TOTAL: Worse off 24% 26% 27% 29% 30%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,012 1,051 1,050 1,035

     

        Federal Voting intention
      Total Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other  
    A lot better off 18% 24% 12% 20% 22%  
    A little better off 31% 40% 28% 29% 25%  
    A little worse off 14% 9% 19% 16% 13%  
    A lot worse off 10% 7% 15% 8% 10%  
    Unsure 27% 19% 25% 27% 30%  
    TOTAL: Important 50% 65% 40% 50% 47%  
    TOTAL: Not important 24% 16% 34% 24% 23%  
    Base (n) 1,087 334 412 96 140  

     

  • Dec, 2019

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    Attitudes towards unions

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about unions?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports 68% 18% 30% 38% 13% 5% 14%
    The government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations 62% 24% 29% 34% 18% 6% 14%
    Union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes 51% 32% 20% 31% 22% 10% 17%
    Overall unions have too much power in Australia today 49% 37% 18% 31% 24% 13% 14%
    • Two-thirds of participants agree that ‘union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports’ (68%) and 62% agree that the government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations.
    • Half of participants agree that union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes (51%) and 49% agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today.
    • Capital city residents are more likely than non-capital city residents to agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today, with 53% of capital city and 41% of non-capital city residents agreeing with the statement.
    • Broadly, Coalition voters and those over 55 years old were most likely to agree with statements that are more negative towards unions.
  • Apr, 2014

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    Most important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    Total

    22 Apr 14

     

    Vote ALP

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Grn

    Vote other

     

    23 Jul 13

    30 Jul 12

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    54%

    43%

    75%

    22%

    44%

    45%

    64%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    27%

    35%

    18%

    38%

    20%

    25%

    26%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    50%

    54%

    43%

    62%

    52%

    42%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    13%

    12%

    7%

    42%

    14%

    12%

    11%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    12%

    17%

    11%

    8%

    12%

    10%

    12%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    15%

    11%

    24%

    6%

    13%

    21%

    25%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    10%

    13%

    4%

    28%

    9%

    11%

    9%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    9%

    9%

    11%

    2%

    7%

    13%

    9%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    37%

    39%

    37%

    18%

    37%

    39%

    41%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    4%

    5%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    17%

    18%

    16%

    13%

    19%

    17%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    20%

    19%

    20%

    9%

    23%

    20%

    18%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    5%

    3%

    8%

    3%

    5%

    8%

    5%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    8%

    5%

    5%

    32%

    9%

    14%

    10%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    9%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    16%

    9%

    8%

    12%

    na

    54% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 50% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 37% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 27% ensuring a quality education for all children.

    Main changes since this question was asked last July – management of the economy up 9%, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system up 8%, political leadership down 6% and treatment of asylum seekers down 6%.

  • Feb, 2014

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    Party trust to handle issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

     

    Difference 11 Feb 14

    Difference 19 Nov 13

    Management of the economy

    27%

    46%

    2%

    25%

    -19

    -26

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    39%

    32%

    5%

    25%

    +7

    +2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    35%

    33%

    6%

    26%

    +2

    -1

    Protecting the environment

    17%

    22%

    37%

    23%

    +15

    +14

    A fair industrial relations system

    37%

    32%

    3%

    28%

    +5

    +2

    Political leadership

    26%

    39%

    4%

    31%

    -13

    -23

    Addressing climate change

    20%

    25%

    28%

    27%

    +3

    +5

    Controlling interest rates

    25%

    42%

    3%

    30%

    -17

    -21

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    34%

    32%

    4%

    30%

    +2

    -7

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    20%

    30%

    21%

    29%

    -10

    -13

    Housing affordability

    28%

    30%

    5%

    37%

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    29%

    35%

    4%

    32%

    -6

    -11

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    39%

    3%

    35%

    -16

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    20%

    36%

    15%

    29%

    -16

    -18

    Managing population growth

    21%

    32%

    8%

    38%

    -11

    -19

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.

    The Liberal Party is trusted more to handle management of the economy (-19), controlling interest rates (-17), security and the war on terrorism (-16) and treatment of asylum seekers (-16). The Labor Party is trusted more to handle a quality education for all children (+7) and a fair industrial relations system (+5).

    Since this question was asked in November, the Labor Party has improved its position on all issues – especially political leadership (up 10%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (up 9%), managing population growth (up 8%) and managing the economy (up 7%).

  • Jul, 2012

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    Important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    First

    Second

    Third

    Total

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    38%

    16%

    10%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    5%

    10%

    11%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    10%

    19%

    18%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    3%

    4%

    4%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    4%

    3%

    5%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    *

    Political leadership

    11%

    7%

    7%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    3%

    3%

    3%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    2%

    2%

    5%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    13%

    15%

    13%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    *

    1%

    2%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    3%

    5%

    5%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    4%

    7%

    7%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    1%

    1%

    3%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    3%

    4%

    3%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    *

    Managing population growth

    2%

    3%

    3%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    *

    *Not asked

    64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).

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