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Too soft or too tough on asylum seekers

30 Aug 2016

Q. Do you think the Federal Liberal/National Government is too tough or too soft on asylum seekers or is it taking the right approach?

  Total   Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other   Oct  2010 Jul 2012 Jan 2014 Jul 2014 Apr 2015 Nov 2016
Too tough 21%   29% 9% 59% 15%   7% 12% 22% 27% 22% 25%
Too soft 29%   26% 29% 13% 42%   63% 60% 25% 18% 27% 29%
Taking the right approach 31%   23% 52% 13% 23%   18% 11% 35% 36% 34% 31%
Don’t know 19%   22% 10% 15% 20%   12% 17% 18% 18% 17% 15%

29% (no change since November) think the Government is too soft on asylum seekers, 21% (down 4%) think they are too tough and 31% (no change) think they are taking the right approach.

Those most likely to think they are taking the right approach were Liberal/National voters (52%) and aged 65+ (46%).

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