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  • Nov, 2019

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    Medivac Bill

    Q. Earlier this year, the Federal Parliament passed legislation to allow doctors, not politicians, more say in determining the appropriate medical treatment offered to people in offshore detention. This may include medical evacuation (Medivac) transfer to Australia if necessary.

    Which of the following statements most closely aligns with your views of this legislation?

    Nov’19 Sep’19 Feb’19
    This legislation does not go far enough to provide humane treatment for people in offshore detention 25% 23% 16%
    This legislation strikes a balance between strong borders and humane treatment for people in offshore detention 37% 41% 38%
    This legislation will weaken our borders and result in boats arriving in Australia as they have in the past 22% 20% 30%
    Unsure 17% 18% 16%
    Base (n) 1,083 1,093 1,085

      

      Total Gender Age
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    This legislation does not go far enough to provide humane treatment for people in offshore detention 25% 24% 26% 28% 26% 21%
    This legislation strikes a balance between strong borders and humane treatment for people in offshore detention 37% 39% 35% 42% 34% 35%
    This legislation will weaken our borders and result in boats arriving in Australia as they have in the past 22% 23% 20% 10% 21% 33%
    Unsure 17% 14% 19% 20% 20% 11%
    Base (n) 1,083 527 556 329 369 385

     

      Total Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    This legislation does not go far enough to provide humane treatment for people in offshore detention 25% 33% 15% 51% 19%
    This legislation strikes a balance between strong borders and humane treatment for people in offshore detention 37% 38% 44% 29% 27%
    This legislation will weaken our borders and result in boats arriving in Australia as they have in the past 22% 14% 29% 6% 39%
    Unsure 17% 15% 12% 15% 15%
    Base (n) 1,083 342 373 93 162
    • A quarter of people (25%) believe that the Medivac legislation does not go far enough to provide humane treatment for people in offshore detention. This has increased from earlier this year in February, when just 16% believed so.
    • 37% believe that the Medivac legislation strikes a balance between strong borders and humane treatment for people in offshore detention – the same level as in Feb’19 (38%).
  • Apr, 2015

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    Whether asylum seekers are genuine refugees

    Q. As far as you know, are most asylum seekers arriving by in Australia boat genuine refugees or are most of them not genuine refugees?

     

     

    Total

     

      Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other   Jan 2014
    Most of them are genuine refugees 32% 37% 26% 64% 27% 30%
    Most of them are not genuine refugees 43% 40% 53% 16% 50% 47%
    Don’t know 25% 22% 21% 20% 24% 23%

    43% of respondents believe that most asylum seekers arriving by boat are not genuine refugees – 32% believe most are genuine refugees. This is a shift toward believing they are genuine since this question was asked in January last year.

    Those more likely to think most are not genuine refugees were Liberal/National voters (53%) and aged 55+ (59%). Those more likely to think most are genuine refugees were Greens voters (64%), Labor voters (37%) and those with university education (42%).

  • Nov, 2014

    Refugee intake compared to other countries

    Q. As far as you know which of the following statements is true?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

    Australia takes in fewer refugees than comparable nations

    32%

    40%

    22%

    60%

    31%

    Australia takes in about the same number of refugees as comparable nations

    20%

    18%

    26%

    12%

    21%

    Australia takes in more refugees than comparable nations

    25%

    25%

    28%

    8%

    34%

    Don’t know

    23%

    17%

    24%

    20%

    14%

    32% think that Australia takes in fewer refugees than comparable nations and 45% think we take in about the same number or more. 23% could not give an answer.

    60% of Greens voters and 40% of Labor voters think we take in fewer – as did 45% of those with university education.

  • Nov, 2014

    Statements about refugee intake

    Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

     

    Total agree

    Total disagree

     

    Strongly agree

    Agree

    Disagree

    Strongly disagree

    Don’t know

    Accepting refugees is something a wealthy nation like Australia should do to support poorer nations

    49%

    36%

    15%

    34%

    23%

    13%

    14%

    Refugees contribute to the nation that accepts them, it is in our interest to increase

    39%

    44%

    12%

    27%

    27%

    17%

    17%

    Australia’s overall population is too high, we need to wind back our refugee program

    43%

    40%

    18%

    25%

    26%

    14%

    17%

    Australia’s overall population is too low and we need to increase the number of refugees to boost the numbers in our workforce

    20%

    62%

    4%

    16%

    31%

    31%

    17%

    Nearly half (49%) agreed that accepting refugees is something a wealthy nation like Australia should do to support poorer nations. A majority (62%) disagreed that at Australia’s overall population is too low and we need to increase the number of refugees to boost the numbers in our workforce.

    However, respondents were evenly divided over “Australia’s overall population is too high, we need to wind back our refugee program” (43% agree/40% disagree) and “Refugees contribute to the nation that accepts them, it is in our interest to increase” (39% agree/44% disagree).

  • Jan, 2014

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    Whether asylum seekers are genuine refugees

    Q. As far as you know, are most asylum seekers arriving by in Australia boat genuine refugees or are most of them not genuine refugees?

     

     

    Total

     

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other

    Most of them are genuine refugees

    30%

    41%

    18%

    67%

    24%

    Most of them are not genuine refugees

    47%

    39%

    59%

    18%

    54%

    Don’t know

    23%

    20%

    23%

    15%

    22%

    47% of respondents believe that most asylum seekers arriving by boat are not genuine refugees – 30% believe most are genuine refugees.

    Those more likely to think most are not genuine refugees were Liberal/National voters (59%), aged 45+ (55%) and those who had not completed secondary education (58%). Those more likely to think most are genuine refugees were  Greens voters (67%), Labor voters (41%) and those with university education (36%).

  • Aug, 2012

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    Approval of Recommendations on Asylum Seekers

    Q. An expert panel appointed by the Federal Government has made a number of recommendations for handling asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. Do you approve or disapprove of the following recommendations?

     

    Total approve

    Total disapprove

    Strongly approve

    Approve

    Dis-approve

    Strongly disapprove

    Don’t know

    Expanding Australia’s humanitarian program immediately from 13,500 places per year to 20,000

    42%

    46%

    13%

    29%

    20%

    26%

    12%

    Limiting the ways refugees who have arrived by boat can bring their families to Australia

    72%

    18%

    40%

    32%

    11%

    7%

    11%

    Reopening detention facilities in Nauru and Manus Islands

    67%

    18%

    36%

    31%

    11%

    7%

    14%

    Detaining offshore refugees who have arrived by boat for several years

    47%

    39%

    26%

    21%

    22%

    17%

    13%

    Pursuing a people swap deal with Malaysia as the basis for a regional solution

    30%

    47%

    11%

    19%

    22%

    25%

    23%

    Consider turning back boats in the future but only if special conditions are met

    66%

    21%

    35%

    31%

    11%

    10%

    13%

    There was strong majority approval of the recommendations to limit the ways refugees who have arrived by boat can bring their families to Australia (72%), reopen detention facilities in Nauru and Manus Islands (67%) and consider turning back boats (66%). Respondents were a little more in favour of detaining offshore refugees for several years (47% approve/39% disapprove) and divided over expanding Australia’s humanitarian program (42%/46%). 47% disapproved of pursuing a people swap deal with Malaysia as the basis for a regional solution.

    48% of Labor voters and 81% of Greens voters approved expanding Australia’s humanitarian aid but 54% of Liberal/National voters disapproved.

    48% of Labor voters approved pursuing a people swap deal with Malaysia but 59% of Liberal/National voters disapproved.

    45% of Labor voters and 81% of Liberal/National voters approved turning back boats but 56% of Greens voters disapproved.

    Men favoured detaining refugees for several years (58% approve/31% disapprove while women were more likely to be opposed (38% approve/46% disapprove).

  • Aug, 2011

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    Support for Sending Asylum Seekers to Malaysia

    Q. The Government has recently made an agreement to send asylum seekers arriving by boat in Australia to Malaysia for processing, and in return Australia will take a fixed number of refugees from Malaysia. Do you support or oppose this agreement?

    16 June 11 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 40% 31% 50% 25% 19%
    Total oppose 39% 53% 31% 67% 60%
    Strongly support 13% 6% 9% 4% 3%
    Support 27% 25% 41% 21% 16%
    Oppose 22% 23% 17% 24% 35%
    Strongly oppose 17% 30% 14% 43% 25%
    Don’t know 21% 16% 18% 9% 21%

    31% support the agreement to send asylum seekers to Malaysia for processing and 53% oppose. This represents a significant increase in opposition to this scheme from that recorded 6 weeks ago – support is down 9% and opposition up 14%.

    This shift is mainly due to changed opinions of Liberal/National voters. Support from Labor voters is up 3% to 50% while opposition from Liberal/National voters has increased by 22% to 67%. Opposition from Greens voters has also increased by 9% to 60%.

    Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Asylum Seekers

    Q. Which of the following comes is closest to your view?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    All asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat should be sent back to the country they came from even if they are genuine refugees 31% 26% 38% 22%
    Asylum seekers arriving by boat should only be allowed to stay in Australia if they are found to be genuine refugees 59% 67% 56% 66%
    All asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat should be allowed to stay 4% 4% 2% 10%
    Don’t know 6% 3% 4% 2%

    59% agreed with the statement that “asylum seekers arriving by boat should only be allowed to stay in Australia if they are found to be genuine refugees” and 31% agreed that “all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat should be sent back to the country they came from even if they are genuine refugees”. Only 4% (including 10% of Greens voters) agreed that “all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat should be allowed to stay”.

    Women were more likely to think genuine refugees should be allowed to stay (61% compared to 57% of men). 28% of those aged 55+ thought all asylum seekers should be sent back compared to 33% of those aged under 55. Comments »

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