The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Services better run by Government or Private Sector

11 Mar 2013

Q. Which of the following are better run by the private sector and which are better run by Government?

 

11 Mar 2013

31 Jan 2011

 

Better run by private sector

Better run by Government

Don’t know

Better run by private sector

Better run by Government

Don’t know

Electricity

25%

62%

13%

22%

61%

17%

Water

19%

69%

12%

15%

70%

16%

Trains, buses and ferries

25%

64%

11%

19%

68%

13%

Motorways

23%

66%

11%

17%

70%

13%

Community services such as child protection

14%

75%

11%

14%

71%

15%

Telecommunications (including broadband services)

45%

44%

11%

na

na

na

Hospitals and health services

19%

71%

10%

na

na

na

Schools

21%

69%

10%

na

na

na

Prisons

17%

73%

11%

10%

76%

15%

Universities

27%

61%

12%

20%

64%

16%

Ports

22%

60%

19%

na

na

na

Most services listed were clearly thought to be better run by Government than the private sector.

The only exception was telecommunications where respondents were split 45% private sector, 44% Government.

The areas most preferred to be run by Government were – community services (75%), prisons (73%), hospitals and health services (71%), schools (69%) and water (69%).

Compared to the results when this question was asked in January 2011, preference for the private sector running services has increased a little – +6% for trains, buses and ferries and motorways and +7% for prisons and universities.

Error: