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Increasing risk of terrorism

25 Oct 2016

Q. Over the last few years, do you think that the threat of terrorism happening in Australia has increased, decreased or stayed much the same?

  Total   Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other   Nov

2015

Oct

2015

Mar 2015 Sept 2014
TOTAL Increased 73%   73% 82% 57% 73%   76% 75% 75% 57%
TOTAL Decreased 2%   2% 2% 5% 2%   2% 1% 2% 6%
Increased a lot 34%   35% 39% 9% 41%   42% 38% 39% 22%
Increased a little 38%   38% 43% 48% 32%   34% 37% 36% 35%
Stayed about the same 23%   25% 15% 38% 25%   19% 20% 20% 33%
Decreased a little 1%   1% 1% 4% 1%   1% 1% 1% 3%
Decreased a lot 1%   1% 1% 1% 1%   1% <1% 1% 3%
Don’t know 3%   1% 2% 1%   3% 3% 4% 4%

 

Almost three-quarters (73%) of Australians think that the threat of terrorism happening in Australia has increased over the last few years. This figure is consistent with results from March 2015, October 2015 and November 2016. It is substantially higher than September 2014 (prior to the Lindt Café siege).

Again, Greens voters (57%) were less likely that Labor (73%), Lib/Nat (82%) or Other voters (73%) to think that the threat had increased.

Again, older Australians were more likely to think that the threat had increased; 80% of those aged 55+ thought it had increased compared to 72% of those aged 35-54 and 66% of those aged 34 and under.

There were no significant differences based on gender.

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