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  • Apr, 2012

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    Most Important Factor in Government Regulation

    Q. What should be the most important factor Governments consider in relation to regulating each of these issues – protecting rights and freedom, protecting people’s health and safety or managing the cost to taxpayers (e.g. health costs of drug/alcohol/tobacco use)?

     

    Protecting rights and freedom 

    Protecting people’s health and safety

    Managing the cost to taxpayers

    Don’t know

    Wearing seatbelts in cars

    5%

    91%

    3%

    2%

    Wearing bike helmets

    6%

    89%

    3%

    2%

    Personal use of recreational drugs

    18%

    61%

    12%

    9%

    Smoking in public places

    19%

    67%

    9%

    5%

    Buying and consuming alcohol

    25%

    58%

    11%

    6%

    Shopping hours

    55%

    11%

    16%

    19%

    Cigarette packaging

    16%

    61%

    14%

    8%

    Junk food advertising

    16%

    66%

    11%

    8%

    Films (i.e. censorship)

    59%

    19%

    7%

    15%

    The internet

    62%

    18%

    6%

    15%

     

    For most of the areas listed above, the majority of respondents thought the most important factor for Governments to consider was ‘protecting people’s health and safety’.

     

    The three areas where respondents thought that is was more important to consider ‘protecting rights and freedoms’ were ‘the internet’ (62%), ‘films’ (59%) and ‘shopping hours’ (55%).

     

    ‘Managing the cost to tax payers’ was not considered to be an important factor by most respondents.

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Awareness of Aged Care Reforms

    Q. The Federal Government recently announced changes to aged care which included extra funding, better access to aged care services, capping costs of aged care accommodation and in-home care and means testing aged care accommodation costs. How much have you read or heard about those aged care changes?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    A lot

    7%

    11%

    7%

    4%

    Some

    26%

    31%

    26%

    26%

    A little

    32%

    28%

    35%

    32%

    Nothing

    30%

    25%

    28%

    37%

    Don’t know

    5%

    4%

    5%

    1%

    Just 7% of respondents claim to have read or heard ‘a lot’ about the recent Federal Government changes to aged care. A further 26% have read or heard ‘some’.

    32% of respondents have read or heard ‘a little’ while 30% have read or heard ‘nothing’.

    Labor voters were more likely to have read or heard ‘a lot’ (11%) or ‘some’ (31%).

    There were no significant differences based on gender.

    Older respondents were more likely to state that they had read or heard ‘some’ about the aged care changes (33% of those aged 55-64 and 39% of those aged 65+).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Opinion of Aged Care Reforms

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s changes to aged care?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    61%

    71%

    56%

    68%

    Total disapprove

    7%

    4%

    10%

    5%

    Strongly approve

    16%

    24%

    11%

    20%

    Approve

    45%

    47%

    45%

    48%

    Disapprove

    6%

    3%

    9%

    3%

    Strongly disapprove

    1%

    1%

    1%

    2%

    Don’t know

    33%

    25%

    34%

    28%

     

    61% of respondents approve of the Government’s changes to aged care. Just 7% disapprove.

    Labor voters were more likely to approve (71%); however approval rates were still high for Lib/Nat voters (54%).

    Females (65%) were more likely than males (56%) to approve of the changes.

    Older respondents were also more likely to approve of the changes (78% of those aged 55-64 and 71% of those aged 65+).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Party Trust Most on Aged Care

    Q. Which party would you trust most to provide aged care services?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Labor Party

    31%

    77%

    6%

    46%

    Liberal Party

    27%

    58%

    7%

    No difference

    30%

    17%

    26%

    43%

    Don’t know

    12%

    6%

    10%

    4%

    There was very little difference between the parties as to who respondents would trust more to provide aged care services – 31% selected Labor, 27% selected the Liberal Party and 30% said there was no difference.

    Respondents tended to follow party lines in terms of which party they would trust most to deliver aged care services. However a large proportion of Labor (17%), Liberal (26%) and Green (43%) voters said there was no difference between the parties.

    Males (32%) were more likely than females (22%) to most trust the Liberal party.

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Joe Hockey Statement

    Q. The Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey recently said people in Western countries have an attitude of “entitlement” and expect the Government to provide assistance and subsidies for things like education, health, income support, retirement benefits, unemployment benefits. Do you agree or disagree that people in Australia receive too much Government assistance?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total agree

    39%

    27%

    54%

    19%

    Total disagree

    33%

    55%

    20%

    58%

    Strongly agree

    14%

    10%

    21%

    3%

    Agree

    25%

    17%

    33%

    16%

    Neither agree nor disagree

    23%

    21%

    23%

    23%

    Disagree

    18%

    22%

    13%

    31%

    Strongly disagree

    15%

    23%

    7%

    27%

    Don’t know

    5%

    7%

    3%

    Respondents were somewhat evenly split on their response to this question – 39% agree that people in Australia receive too much Government assistance while 33% disagree.

    23% neither agree nor disagree and 5% don’t know.

    Lib/Nat voters were significantly more likely to agree that people in Australia receive too much Government assistance (54%). Labor (55%) and Green (58%) voters were more likely to disagree.

    Males (44%) were far more likely than females (32%) to agree that people in Australia receive too much Government assistance.

    Those aged 65+ were also more likely to agree with this statement (48%), however those aged 55-64 were less likely (34%).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Australian Spend on Aid

    Q.  In 2000 John Howard signed the Millennium Declaration committing Australia to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on aid (the equivalent of 70 cents in every $100 earned in the economy). How much do you think Australia spent on aid in 2011?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    0.35

    13%

    15%

    12%

    16%

    0.5

    12%

    10%

    16%

    14%

    0.7

    7%

    10%

    7%

    8%

    More than 0.7

    24%

    28%

    25%

    20%

    Don’t know

    44%

    37%

    40%

    42%

    When asked home much of Australia’s Gross National Income is spent on aid, the largest proportion of respondents stated ‘don’t know’ (44%).

    The next largest proportion (24%) said that it was more than the 0.7 committed in the Millennium Declaration.

    13% said that Australia spent 0.35 on aid, and 12% said 0.5. Just 7% said 0.7.

    There was little difference across voting intention.

    Females (48%) were more likely than males (39%) to select ‘don’t know’.

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Australian Commitment to Aid

    Q. The bipartisan commitment on aid says Australia will allocate 0.5% of Gross National Income (50 cents of every $100 earned in Australia) by 2015. Considering Australia gave 0.35% in 2011, do you think Australia should meet this commitment?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Should commit 0.5%

    37%

    46%

    29%

    62%

    Should not commit 0.5%

    35%

    25%

    46%

    15%

    Don’t know

    29%

    28%

    25%

    23%

    The respondents were quite evenly split in their response to this question – 37% think Australia should commit 0.5% by 2015, 35% think that Australia should not commit to 0.5% by 2015 and 29% don’t know.

    Lib/Nat voters were more likely to state that Australia should not commit to 0.5% (46%). Green voters were more likely to state that Australia should commit to 0.5% (62%).

    Males (40%) were more likely than females (29%) to think that Australia should not commit to 0.5%. Females (33%) were more likely than males (24%) to select ‘don’t know’.

    Those aged 18-24 were more likely to think that Australia should commit to 0.5% (48%).

    Those in QLD were more likely to think Australia should not commit to 0.5% (43%).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    TRENDS: Do we love the NBN?

    Peter Lewis presents polling that shows public opinion is turning in favour of the $40 billion national broadband network.


    Until now the NBN has been an abstract debate about national building and future proofing the economy on one hand, and a misguided venture designed purely to waste taxpayers’ money on the other. Now it’s about to shift from rhetoric to reality, with roll out plans for about a third of households and businesses released last week.

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