13 February 2012, business, Fairfax, Fairfax Newspapers, Gina Rinehart, media, mining, Politics, Polling, polls, reporting
Q. Gina Rinehart (mining company owner and Australia’s wealthiest person) has recently bought a major stake in Fairfax newspapers (publishers of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age). Do you think this will make Fairfax newspapers reporting of politics and business more balanced and independent, less balanced and independent or will It make no difference?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | NSW | Victoria | |
| More balanced and independent | 7% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 11% | 5% |
| Less balanced and independent | 31% | 35% | 22% | 62% | 33% | 31% |
| Make no difference | 44% | 36% | 55% | 23% | 38% | 46% |
| Don’t know | 19% | 22% | 15% | 9% | 18% | 18% |
44% think that Gina Rinehart’s purchase of a major stake in Fairfax will make no difference to the balance and independence of the newspapers. 31% think this will make the newspapers less balanced and independent and only 7% think the newspapers will become more balanced and independent.
Greens voters (62%) and respondents aged under 35 (37%) were most likely to think the newspapers will become less balanced and independent and Liberal/National voters least likely (22%).