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  • Jun, 2012

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    Mabo Decision

    Q. This year is the 20th anniversary of the High Court’s “Mabo” decision which established land rights for Australia’s indigenous people.

    Do you think this decision has been good or bad for the following –

     

    Total good

    Total bad

    Very good

    Good

    Made no difference

    Bad

    Very bad

    Don’t know

    Aboriginal people

    65%

    4%

    27%

    38%

    19%

    3%

    1%

    11%

    Farmers

    15%

    35%

    4%

    11%

    32%

    28%

    7%

    17%

    Miners

    13%

    35%

    3%

    10%

    35%

    26%

    9%

    17%

    Regional communities

    30%

    23%

    6%

    24%

    32%

    17%

    6%

    15%

    All Australians

    33%

    22%

    10%

    23%

    30%

    16%

    6%

    14%

    Two thirds (65%) believe that the “Mabo” decision has been good for aboriginal people and only 4% think it has been bad. A majority of all voter groups think it has been good for aboriginal people – 80% of Greens voters, 72% of Labor voters and 63% of Liberal/National voters.

    Respondents were also more likely to think the decision was good for regional communities (30% good/23% bad) and all Australian (33%/22%).

    35% think it has been bad for farmers and miners. However, 47% think it has been good or made no difference for farmers and 48% think it has been good or made no difference for miners.

    Liberal/National voters were more inclined to think it was bad for all groups other than aboriginal people. For all Australians, 62% of Greens voters, 44% of Labor voters and 25% of Liberal/National voters think it has been good.

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