employment law, Industrial Relations
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 |
casual workers, employment law, Industrial Relations, workplace reform
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% |
Industrial Relations, perceptions, 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% |
Industrial Relations, stronger unions, 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 | |
ensuring integrity, Industrial Relations, union-busing bill, 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% |
climate change, economy, Education, Election, Election Issues, environment, Federal Election, Greens, Health, Industrial Relations, Labor, Liberal/National, Liberals
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%.
economy, Industrial Relations, party trust, political leadership, protecting the environment, quality education
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%).
30 July 2012, 300712, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, healthy system, Housing affordability, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, local industries, political leadership, population growth, taxation, Terrorism, water supply
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%).