Essential Report
Attitude towards Australia first hiring
Q. Last weekend Kristina Kenneally, a NSW senator, called for the federal government to reduce the number of temporary migrant worker visas permitted after the Covid-19 outbreak. She argues that Australian businesses should prioritise training and hiring Australians for roles, rather than seeking temporary workers to fill skill-shortages.
To what extent, do you support or oppose this idea of “Australia first” hiring?
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| Strongly support | 41% | 36% | 46% | 27% | 42% | 53% | |
| Somewhat support | 26% | 28% | 23% | 25% | 26% | 25% | |
| Neither support, nor oppose | 21% | 21% | 21% | 30% | 24% | 10% | |
| Somewhat oppose | 6% | 7% | 4% | 10% | 3% | 5% | |
| Strongly oppose | 6% | 8% | 5% | 9% | 5% | 6% | |
| TOTAL: Support | 67% | 64% | 70% | 52% | 68% | 78% | |
| TOTAL: Oppose | 12% | 15% | 9% | 18% | 8% | 12% | |
| Base (n) | 1,067 | 532 | 535 | 341 | 341 | 385 | |
| Federal Voting Intention | ||||
| Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Strongly support | 41% | 44% | 23% | 61% |
| Somewhat support | 22% | 31% | 26% | 21% |
| Neither support, nor oppose | 24% | 15% | 34% | 12% |
| Somewhat oppose | 7% | 4% | 7% | 4% |
| Strongly oppose | 6% | 5% | 10% | 2% |
| TOTAL: Support | 63% | 75% | 50% | 82% |
| TOTAL: Oppose | 13% | 10% | 17% | 7% |
| Base (n) | 306 | 418 | 86 | 143 |
- Kristina Kenneally’s “Australia first” hiring approach is supported by 67% of participants; women (70%), those over 55 (78%), Coalition (75%) and other party voters (82%) are more likely to support this approach than men (64%), 18-34 year olds (52%) and Greens voters (50%).
Attitudes towards Temporary Migrants
Q. Temporary migrants include people on skilled worker visas (which are used to cover jobs where there are skill shortages including engineers, nurses and scientists), most New Zealand citizens living in Australia, and international students.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| Temporary migrants support the economy by spending their money in Australia | 57% | 17% | 19% | 39% | 23% | 12% | 5% | 3% |
| Businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants | 54% | 21% | 26% | 28% | 22% | 13% | 8% | 3% |
| If temporary migrants pay the same taxes as Australian citizens, they should be entitled to the same government support | 52% | 20% | 21% | 31% | 24% | 11% | 9% | 4% |
| It’s realistic to expect temporary residents who lose work in Australia to go back to their home countries | 52% | 20% | 21% | 31% | 24% | 13% | 7% | 4% |
| Without temporary migrants, Australia would face skill shortages | 48% | 23% | 15% | 33% | 24% | 12% | 11% | 5% |
| Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants | 41% | 27% | 18% | 23% | 28% | 14% | 12% | 4% |
| TOTAL: Agree | Employment Status | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||
| Total | In paid employment | Not in paid employment | Retired | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Temporary migrants support the economy by spending their money in Australia | 57% | 60% | 51% | 64% | 59% | 62% | 56% | 50% |
| Businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants | 54% | 53% | 46% | 67% | 50% | 61% | 40% | 75% |
| If temporary migrants pay the same taxes as Australian citizens, they should be entitled to the same government support | 52% | 57% | 48% | 52% | 56% | 51% | 55% | 51% |
| It’s realistic to expect temporary residents who lose work in Australia to go back to their home countries | 52% | 52% | 44% | 63% | 51% | 59% | 32% | 65% |
| Without temporary migrants, Australia would face skill shortages | 48% | 51% | 47% | 48% | 48% | 57% | 45% | 34% |
| Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants | 41% | 43% | 31% | 52% | 41% | 46% | 22% | 57% |
| Base (n) | 1,067 | 550 | 254 | 212 | 306 | 418 | 86 | 143 |
- More than half of participants agree with any of the statements about temporary migrants – except without temporary migrants, Australia would face skill shortages (48%) and Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants (41%).
- Retirees are more likely to agree that businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants (67%), Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants (52%) and it’s realistic to expect temporary residents who lose work in Australia to go back to their home countries (63%) than other participants (51%, 39% and 49% respectively).
- Similarly other or independent party voters are most likely to agree that businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants (75% v 55% all other voters) and Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants (57% v 41% all other voters).
- Coalition most likely to agree without temporary migrants, Australia would face skill shortages (57% v 44% all other voters).
- Greens voters are least likely to agree that businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants (40% v 59% all other voters), Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants (22% v 45% all other voters) and it’s realistic to expect temporary residents who lose work in Australia to go back to their home countries (32% v 57% all other voters).
- Participants who support Kristina Kenneally’s “Australia first” approach more likely to agree that businesses should hire Australian citizens where they can, even if they’re not as skilled as candidates who are temporary migrants (68%) and Australia would be better off if we had fewer temporary migrants (52%).
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