The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Mar, 2014

    ,

    Foreign ownership of Qantas

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s intention to allow majority foreign ownership of Qantas domestic operations?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other/

    indep-endent

    Total approve

    36%

    29%

    52%

    27%

    25%

    Total disapprove

    48%

    54%

    35%

    61%

    67%

    Strongly approve

    9%

    6%

    15%

    6%

    4%

    Approve

    27%

    23%

    37%

    21%

    21%

    Disapprove

    25%

    23%

    23%

    33%

    33%

    Strongly disapprove

    23%

    31%

    12%

    28%

    34%

    Don’t know

    15%

    17%

    13%

    12%

    9%

    36% approve of the Government’s intention to allow majority foreign ownership of Qantas domestic operations and 48% disapprove.

    Those most likely to approve were Liberal/National voters (52%), men (46%) and those with university education (45%).

    Those most likely to disapprove were Labor voters (54%), Greens voters (61%), women (54%) and those on lower incomes (53% of people earning less than $1,000pw)

  • Mar, 2014

    Impact of foreign ownership of Qantas

    Q. Do you think allowing majority foreign ownership of Qantas domestic operations will be good or bad for –

     

    Total good

    Total

    bad

     

    Very good

    Good

    Make no difference

    Bad

    Very bad

    Don’t know

    Australian jobs

    16%

    59%

    4%

    12%

    19%

    28%

    31%

    6%

    Air travellers

    30%

    25%

    8%

    22%

    36%

    15%

    10%

    10%

    Qantas profits

    48%

    19%

    9%

    39%

    20%

    11%

    8%

    13%

    The Australian economy

    24%

    46%

    6%

    18%

    20%

    26%

    19%

    10%

    Overall, respondents thought that majority foreign ownership of Qantas would be good for Qantas profits (48%) but bad for Australian jobs (59%) and the economy (46%). They were divided over the impact on air travellers (30% good/25% bad/36% no difference).

    64% of Labor voters and 49% of Liberal/National voters thought it would be bad for jobs.

    41% of those with university education and 44% of people aged 25-34 thought it would be good for air travellers.

    56% of university educated, 59% of those aged 25-34 and 55% of Liberal/National voters thought it would be good for Qantas profits.

    In terms of the economy, Labor voters split 18% good/52% bad compared to Liberal/National voters 37% good/33% bad.

  • Feb, 2014

    , ,

    Choice of Airline

    Q. Which of the following best describes your airline preference when booking air travel?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote  other

    Fly regularly

    Fly once or twice a year

     

    Total

    29 Apr 13

    I usually try to fly Qantas

    35%

    33%

    44%

    18%

    23%

    39%

    32%

    34%

    I usually try to avoid flying Qantas

    19%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    22%

    24%

    17%

    20%

    I don’t care whether I fly Qantas or not

    44%

    47%

    37%

    66%

    45%

    35%

    48%

    43%

    Can’t say

    3%

    3%

    2%

    10%

    2%

    3%

    3%

    Based on respondents who travel by air at least once a year

    35% of respondents who travel by air at least once a year said they usually try to fly Qantas, 19% try to avoid flying Qantas and 44% don’t care either way.

    39% of regular flyers usually try to fly Qantas.

    These figures are very similar to those obtained when this question was asked in April last year.

  • Feb, 2014

    , , , ,

    Government support for Qantas

    Q. Would you approve or disapprove of the Federal Government taking any of the following actions on Qantas?

     

    Total approve

    Total  disapprove

     

    Strongly approve

    Approve

    Disapprove

    Strongly disapprove

    Don’t know

    Buy a share of Qantas

    49%

    30%

    12%

    37%

    19%

    11%

    21%

    Guarantee Qantas loans

    45%

    32%

    8%

    37%

    21%

    11%

    22%

    Nationalise Qantas, i.e. the Government has full ownership and control

    36%

    42%

    11%

    25%

    24%

    18%

    22%

    Provide direct funding and subsidies

    35%

    42%

    7%

    28%

    27%

    15%

    23%

    Allow increased foreign ownership of Qantas

    31%

    52%

    6%

    25%

    25%

    27%

    16%

    Overall, respondents approved the Government buying a share of Qantas (49% approve/30% disapprove) and guaranteeing Qantas loans (45%/32%).

    They tended to disapprove of allowing increased foreign ownership (31% approve/52% disapprove), providing direct funding (35%/42%) and nationalising Qantas (36%/42%).

    Liberal/National voters were more likely to disapprove of all forms of assistance except allowing increased foreign ownership (40% approve/48% disapprove).

  • Dec, 2013

    , , ,

    Qantas

    Q. Which of the following actions should the Federal Government take to help Qantas remain a competitive airline?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other

    Nationalise Qantas, i.e. the Government has full ownership and control

    26%

    27%

    24%

    24%

    37%

    Buy shares in Qantas

    24%

    26%

    22%

    17%

    35%

    Allow increased foreign ownership of Qantas

    20%

    19%

    26%

    12%

    14%

    Provide direct funding and subsidies

    20%

    29%

    14%

    10%

    23%

    None of them

    13%

    8%

    16%

    23%

    10%

    Don’t know

    22%

    21%

    19%

    36%

    12%

    The most preferred options for the Government to help Qantas remain a competitive airline involve some form of Government ownership. 26% support nationalising Qantas and 24% think the Government should buy shares in Qantas. 20% support allowing increased foreign ownership and 20% providing direct funding and subsidies.

    Labor voters are a little more likely to support direct funding and subsidies (29%) while Liberal/National voters are more likely to support increased foreign ownership (26%).

  • Aug, 2012

    , , ,

    The Big Foot of Unions Fits A Smaller Slipper

    Judging by the fear-mongering, anti-union rhetoric spilling out of the mouths of business and the Coalition, you would think that unions are a massive power, with a majority presence in every corner of the workforce. But, the intensity of the rhetoric only tell us one thing: how determined anti-union forces are to destroy the basic standard of living of every work.

    What brings this to mind this morning is a column by Ross Gittins on the Fair Work Australia decision in the Qantas dispute. While I do not agree with Gittins’ conclusion that the Transport Workers Union’s actions were, in his words, “bloody-minded”, he does make a much more cogent point on the hysteria coming from the anti-union quarters:

    Read too much of their stuff and you come away thinking the union movement has risen from its death bed to pose the greatest threat to our continued prosperity. Remember, union membership is down to 18 per cent of the workforce (from 50 per cent in 1982) and 14 per cent of private-sector workers.

    Another figure to keep in mind when you read about the union monster poised to eat the economy’s lunch: more than 80 per cent of enterprises don’t have a union presence.

    Two labour lawyers, Dr Anthony Forsyth, of Monash University, and Professor Andrew Stewart, of Adelaide University, note in their submission to the Fair Work review that ”the concerns about union activities that so animate certain employers in the resources, manufacturing and construction sectors are very far removed from the issues confronting businesses in other parts of the economy”.

    Truth is, many more workers are covered by collective agreements than are union members—but employers overstate union power for political gain. The real issue is: bosses can’t have it both ways—either the unions are weak or an irresistible force. Make your choice, fellow.

    So, when you hear the anti-union forces pontificating about the huge power of unions, remember that really this is a cover for a different agenda: business and the Coalition wants to destroy unions as a force and to extract every dollar possible from working people and put it in the pockets of the elite.


    @jonathantasini

  • Feb, 2012

    , , , , , , ,

    Opinion of Qantas

    Q. Compared to 12 months ago, how do you feel about Qantas – more positive, more negative or about the same?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Fly regularly

    Fly once or twice a year

    Fly less often

    Total more positive

    11%

    14%

    13%

    6%

    27%

    11%

    5%

    Total more negative

    41%

    47%

    33%

    53%

    38%

    42%

    41%

    A lot more positive

    4%

    6%

    4%

    2%

    14%

    3%

    1%

    A little more positive

    7%

    8%

    9%

    4%

    13%

    8%

    4%

    About the same

    43%

    35%

    51%

    38%

    32%

    45%

    47%

    A little more negative

    23%

    25%

    19%

    28%

    19%

    24%

    23%

    A lot more negative

    18%

    22%

    14%

    25%

    19%

    18%

    18%

    No opinion

    5%

    2%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    7%

    41% say that, compared to 12 months ago, they feel more negative about Qantas – 11% feel more positive and 43% feel about the same.

    Regular flyers are somewhat more positive – 27% feel more positive and 38% more negative.

    There were no substantial differences across demographics.

    Comments »

  • Feb, 2012

    , , , , , , ,

    Reasons for Change in Opinion of Qantas

    Q. What is the main reason you feel more positive/negative about Qantas?

     

    More positive

    More negative

    Actions of management

    62%

    77%

    Actions of workers

    26%

    9%

    Other reason

    6%

    12%

    Not sure

    5%

    3%

    Among those who feel more positive about Qantas, 62% say it is because of the actions of management and 26% say it is because of the actions of workers.

    Among those who feel more negative about Qantas, 77% say it is because of the actions of management and only 9% say it is because of the actions of workers.

    Comments »

Error: