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  • Jun, 2020

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    Statements about Indigenous Australian history and protests

    Q. Below are some statements about the history of Indigenous Australians and the recent protests. To the best of your knowledge, do you believe each of the following to true or false?

      TOTAL: True TOTAL: False Definitely true Probably true Probably false Definitely false Don’t know enough
    Indigenous Australians were generally not allowed to vote in Australia until the 1960s 67% 13% 36% 31% 9% 4% 20%
    In the 19th and early 20th century, thousands of Indigenous Australians and people from the Pacific Islands were forced to work in Australia in conditions that amounted to slavery 58% 19% 28% 30% 13% 6% 23%
    Indigenous Australians are much more likely to be stopped by police than the average Australians, regardless of whether or not they have done anything wrong 55% 29% 21% 34% 18% 11% 16%
    Many of the new cases of Covid-19 in Victoria have been from people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest 42% 37% 14% 28% 20% 18% 20%

     

    TOTAL: True Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Indigenous Australians were generally not allowed to vote in Australia until the 1960s 67% 69% 66% 62% 63% 76% 70% 68% 79% 63%
    In the 19th and early 20th century, thousands of Indigenous Australians and people from the Pacific Islands were forced to work in Australia in conditions that amounted to slavery 58% 59% 56% 59% 56% 58% 62% 55% 76% 54%
    Indigenous Australians are much more likely to be stopped by police than the average Australians, regardless of whether or not they have done anything wrong 55% 56% 53% 57% 55% 53% 61% 48% 76% 56%
    Many of the new cases of Covid-19 in Victoria have been from people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest 42% 46% 39% 45% 41% 41% 38% 52% 22% 44%
    Base (n) 1,085 533 552 335 374 376 339 417 92 126

     

    TOTAL: True State Education
    NSW VIC QLD SA WA Secondary Education Professional Qualification University Education
    Indigenous Australians were generally not allowed to vote in Australia until the 1960s 67% 68% 65% 72% 64% 69% 66% 68%
    In the 19th and early 20th century, thousands of Indigenous Australians and people from the Pacific Islands were forced to work in Australia in conditions that amounted to slavery 58% 59% 62% 62% 47% 54% 55% 63%
    Indigenous Australians are much more likely to be stopped by police than the average Australians, regardless of whether or not they have done anything wrong 56% 59% 48% 53% 48% 50% 52% 61%
    Many of the new cases of Covid-19 in Victoria have been from people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest 43% 41% 49% 40% 34% 42% 46% 40%
    Base (n) 352 275 218 88 109 258 378 428
    • 42% of participants say it’s true (definitely or probably) that many of the new cases of Covid-19 in Victoria have been from people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest and 67% believe it’s true that Indigenous Australians were generally not allowed to vote in Australia until the 1960s.
    • Over half of participants believe that in the 19th and early 20th century, thousands of Indigenous Australians and people from the Pacific Islands were forced to work in Australia in conditions that amounted to slavery (58%) or Indigenous Australians are much more likely to be stopped by police than the average Australians, regardless of whether or not they have done anything wrong (55%) is true.
    • Men (46%), Coalition voters (52%) and high income earners (50%) are more likely to say that many of the new cases of Covid-19 in Victoria have been from people who attended the Black Lives Matter protest is true than women (39%), all other voters (37%) and high income earners (50%).
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with protests in Australia

    Q. Following the protests in the United States of America, there have been demonstrations in Australia oppose the deaths of Indigenous people in police custody.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the protests in Australia?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Protesters gathering in large numbers during the Covid-19 puts the entire community at risk 84% 9% 62% 23% 5% 4% 7%
    Protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody 62% 27% 31% 32% 11% 16% 11%
    The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance 61% 30% 34% 27% 18% 12% 10%

     

    TOTAL: Agreement   Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Protesters gathering in large numbers during the Covid-19 puts the entire community at risk 84% 86% 82% 78% 87% 87%
    Protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody 62% 64% 60% 69% 63% 56%
    The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance 61% 67% 54% 54% 62% 64%
    Base (n) 1,087 534 553 341 364 382
    • While a large majority of people agree that the protests pit the community at risk by spreading Covid-19 (84%), 62% agree that protesters are justified in their demands for authorities to address the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody.
    • Men (67%), those aged over 55 (64%) and Coalition voters (74%) are more likely to agree that ‘The situation in America is very different to Australia and has no relevance’ compared to women (54%), those aged under 35 (54%) and Labor and Greens voters (54% and 38%).
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with Protests in America

    Q. In the United States of America, protesters accuse law enforcement officers of using excessive force towards African-Americans following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died whilst he was being arrested. A policeman has been charged with third-degree murder following his death.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society 80% 11% 50% 30% 5% 5% 9%
    Authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur 78% 10% 50% 28% 6% 4% 12%
    Incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society 72% 16% 42% 30% 9% 7% 12%
    The protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change 54% 33% 30% 24% 17% 17% 12%
    Incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces 33% 54% 13% 20% 26% 28% 12%

     

     NET: Agree Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society 80% 84% 80% 83% 77%
    Authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur 78% 81% 77% 88% 77%
    Incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society 72% 77% 71% 76% 72%
    The protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change 54% 49% 65% 29% 59%
    Incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces 33% 28% 44% 20% 30%
    Base (n) 1,073 325 419 90 136
    • The majority of participants agree that protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society (80%), authorities in America have been unwilling to deal with institutional racism in the past, and that is why incidents like this continue to occur (78%) and incidents like this are only part of the wider discrimination against minority cultures in society (72%).
    • 54% agree that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change and 33% agree that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces.
    • Participants over 55 and those with dependent children are more likely to agree that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change (60% and 61%) compared to 18-34 year olds (47%) and those without children (51%).
    • Men (38%), 18-34 year olds (38%), those with a university education (39%), on a high household income (42%) or with dependent children (40%) are more likely to agree that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces; than women (29%), 55+ year olds (28%), those with a secondary education (28%), on a low household income (31%) or without dependent children (29%).
    • While a similar proportion of Coalition voters (80%) compared to all other voters (83%), agree that protestors are right to demand better protection and treatment of African Americans in society – they are less likely to ‘strongly agree’ with this statement (40% compared to 59% of all other voters).
    • Coalition voters are also more likely to agree with the negative statements than other voters – with 65% agreeing that the protesters want to loot and cause property damage, more than they want social change (47% all other voters) and 44% agreeing that incidents like this are isolated and do not provide evidence of institutional racism in police forces (27% all other voters).
  • Oct, 2011

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    Support for “Occupy” Protests

    Q. There have recently been protests held in some Australian cities – similar to the “Occupy Wall Street” protests in USA – against “corporate greed” and the power of major banks and multinational corporations. Which best describes your opinion of these protests?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Agree with their concerns and support the protests 29% 36% 18% 59%
    Agree with their concerns but don’t support the protests 40% 37% 48% 27%
    Don’t agree with their concerns 13% 10% 19% 5%
    Don’t know 18% 18% 15% 8%

    69% say they agree with the concerns of the “occupy” protests – made up of 29% who support the protests and 40% who don’t support the protests. Only 13% say they don’t agree with their concerns.

    A majority (59%) of Greens voters support the protests compared to only 18% of Liberal/National voters  – although only 19% of Liberal/National voters disagree with their concerns. Labor voters are split over support for the protests – 36% support them and 37% agree with their concerns but don’t support the protests.

    Support for the concerns of the protests is strongest among older respondents (aged 55+), 28% support the protests and a further 48% agree with their concerns.

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  • Oct, 2011

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    Support for Removal of “Occupy” Protesters

    Q. Do you support the removal of protesters by police in Melbourne and Sydney or should they be allowed to continue their protests?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Support their removal 42% 34% 57% 16%
    Should be allowed to continue 41% 51% 26% 76%
    Don’t know 17% 15% 17% 8%

    Although only 29% support the protests, respondents were divided over the removal of the protesters in Melbourne and Sydney. 42% support their removal and 41% think they should have been allowed to continue.

    While 57% of Liberal/National voters supported the removal, 51% of Labor voters and 76% of Greens voters think they should have been allowed to continue.

    Younger respondents (aged 18-34) were more likely to think they should be allowed to continue (45% to 35%), and those aged 55+ favoured removal 51% to 37%.

    48% of those on incomes under $1,000 pw think they should be allowed to continue while 47% of those on incomes over $1,000 pw support their removal.

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