Essential Report
Reading Books
Q. When did you last read a book? (This question was commissioned by Network Ten)
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
In the last week | 54% | 52% | 50% | 72% | 43% | 65% | 55% | 50% | 58% |
More than a week ago but in the last month | 13% | 16% | 13% | 8% | 15% | 11% | 15% | 12% | 11% |
About one to six months ago | 12% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 14% | 9% |
6 months to a year ago | 6% | 4% | 7% | 2% | 8% | 3% | 8% | 6% | 3% |
More than a year ago | 11% | 11% | 14% | 3% | 16% | 7% | 5% | 13% | 16% |
Don’t know | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 7% | 1% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
54% of respondents said they have read a book in that last week, 67% have read within the last month and 29% last read a book more than a month ago.
Women are more frequent readers than men – 65% read a book in the last week compared to 43% of men – and 24% of men have not read a book in the last six months. Those aged 35-54 are less likely to have read a book in the last week that younger or older people.

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